Phillips, Jacobs fifties power New Zealand to 180/5 vs India in 2nd T20I
Synopsis
New Zealand were reeling at 41/3 inside six overs before Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs produced the hosts' first century fourth-wicket stand against India in T20Is — a 116-run rescue act in 76 balls that lifted the Kiwis to a fighting 180/5 on a worn Christchurch pitch. India's death-over bowling pegged the total back, but they now face a stern chase.
Key Takeaways
New Zealand posted 180/5 in the 2nd T20I against India at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on 24 October .
Glenn Phillips scored 70 off 43 balls — his second consecutive fifty in the series.
Bevon Jacobs contributed 58 off 46 balls in his supporting role.
The two added a record 116-run partnership off 76 balls for the fourth wicket — New Zealand's best such stand against India in T20Is.
Arshdeep Singh was India's best bowler with figures of 2/33 in four overs.
India took three wickets in the powerplay — Arshdeep , Bhuvneshwar Kumar , and Prince Yadav each claiming one.
Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs rescued New Zealand from an early collapse with back-to-back fifties, steering the hosts to 180/5 in the second T20I of the five-match series against India at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday, 24 October. The innings was defined by a record-breaking 116-run fourth-wicket stand between the two after New Zealand were reduced to 41/3 inside 5.2 overs.
India's Bowlers Strike Early
India made the ideal start on what was a used pitch — the same surface that hosted the first T20I. Arshdeep Singh drew first blood in the second over, removing Tim Seifert, who miscued a wild swing for Tilak Varma to take the catch at covers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, playing his first game back in the Indian squad, struck in the third over to dismiss Daryl Mitchell for six, the batter giving a leading edge to a back-tracking Tilak at extra cover.
Prince Yadav then cleaned up Finn Allen in the final over of the powerplay, leaving New Zealand wobbling at 43/3. The worn surface assisted India's bowlers, who stuck to hard-length and short-pitched deliveries to limit the Kiwis' ability to free their arms.
Phillips-Jacobs Partnership Rewrites the Record Books
What followed was a masterclass in T20 rebuilding. Phillips (70 off 43 balls) and Jacobs (58 off 46 balls) combined for a 116-run partnership off 76 balls — New Zealand's first century stand for the fourth wicket or lower in T20Is against India. The previous best had been the 99-run stand between Tim Seifert and Ross Taylor at Mount Maunganui in 2020.
Phillips became the first New Zealand batter to post back-to-back T20I fifties in this series, having also scored one in the opening match. He brought up his fifty off just 33 balls, while Jacobs reached his milestone off 40 balls. Notably, India captain Shreyas Iyer dropped Jacobs off Prince Yadav's bowling in the 11th over, a reprieve that proved costly as the stand ballooned.
India Hit Back in the Death Overs
India regained control in the final stages. Arshdeep returned to break the partnership in the 18th over, with Phillips holing out to Naman Dhir at deep point. Nitish Kumar Reddy followed it up by dismissing Jacobs, who picked out Axar Patel at long-off from a full toss. Michael Bracewell hit a couple of boundaries alongside captain Mitchell Santner to push New Zealand to 180/5 — a competitive, if not dominant, total on a two-paced surface.
India's Bowling Figures
Arshdeep Singh was the standout for India with figures of 2/33 in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav, and Nitish Kumar Reddy each claimed one wicket. Spinners Axar Patel and Naman Dhir also extracted assistance from the worn surface, keeping pressure in the middle overs, though Axar conceded 11 runs in the 15th over and Bhuvneshwar was hit for 18 in the 16th.
What India Need to Chase
India now face a chase of 181 on the same pitch at Hagley Oval. The used surface is expected to offer continued assistance to bowlers, making this a stern test for the Indian batting unit. With the series level at 1-1 — assuming India won the first T20I — this second game carries added weight as both sides look to gain an early advantage in the five-match series. India's response with the bat will be the story next.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 180/5 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 70, Bevon Jacobs 58; Arshdeep Singh 2/33, Prince Yadav 1/30) vs India (to bat).
Point of View
But the top order's brittleness will concern New Zealand's think tank. For India, the powerplay bowling was clinical, and Arshdeep's death-over return confirmed his growing authority in the format — but the mid-over phase, where Axar and Bhuvneshwar conceded boundaries in clusters, remains a concern if the series tightens. A chase of 181 on a used surface will reveal more about India's batting intent than any first innings could.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was New Zealand's total in the 2nd T20I against India in Christchurch?
New Zealand scored 180/5 in 20 overs in the 2nd T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on 24 October. The total was built largely on a 116-run fourth-wicket stand between Glenn Phillips (70) and Bevon Jacobs (58).
How did Glenn Phillips perform in the 2nd T20I?
Glenn Phillips scored 70 off 43 balls, his second consecutive fifty in the series. He was dismissed in the 18th over, caught at deep point by Naman Dhir off Arshdeep Singh's bowling.
What record did the Phillips-Jacobs partnership set?
The 116-run stand between Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs off 76 balls is New Zealand's first century partnership for the fourth wicket or lower against India in T20Is. It surpassed the previous record of 99 runs between Tim Seifert and Ross Taylor at Mount Maunganui in 2020.
Who were India's best bowlers in the 2nd T20I against New Zealand?
Arshdeep Singh was India's standout bowler, finishing with figures of 2/33 in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav, and Nitish Kumar Reddy each took one wicket.
What conditions did India and New Zealand play on in the 2nd T20I?
The match was played at Hagley Oval on the same pitch used for the first T20I, making it a used surface. The wear and tear assisted India's bowlers, particularly with hard-length and short-pitched deliveries, and made run-scoring harder than in the first game.
