Shreyas Iyer admits India were 'sloppy' in bowling and fielding after fifth T20I loss
Synopsis
India won the T20I series 3-2, but Shreyas Iyer did not let the result paper over the cracks. A mid-innings collapse, two dropped catches — including Seifert on 13, who went on to make 93 — and a toothless bowling show on a seaming Seddon Park pitch exposed the gaps India need to close before the next challenge.
Key Takeaways
India lost the fifth and final T20I to New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton on 1 November 2026 , though they won the series 3-2 .
Shreyas Iyer (50) and Ishan Kishan (61) anchored India's innings of 191/8 , before a mid-innings collapse halted momentum.
Tim Seifert (93) and Glenn Phillips (65*) led New Zealand's chase, completed with 7 wickets in hand and 12 balls to spare .
Naman Dhir dropped Seifert on 13 ; Sanju Samson missed a sharp edge off Phillips in the 15th over.
Shreyas said fielding is 'one aspect of the game we need to improve on' and called the series a 'great learning curve' for the team.
India T20I captain Shreyas Iyer acknowledged that his side fell short in the bowling and fielding departments as New Zealand sealed the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton on 1 November 2026, ending the series 3-2 in India's favour. Despite the series win, Shreyas was candid about the areas that need improvement after a below-par team performance in the final game.
How the Match Unfolded
India posted 191/8 in the first innings, anchored by half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer (50) and Ishan Kishan (61). However, momentum stalled sharply when both batters fell in the 11th and 12th overs in quick succession, leaving the lower order to scramble. In response, Tim Seifert's 93 and an unbeaten 65 from Glenn Phillips powered New Zealand to a comfortable chase, completing the win with seven wickets in hand and 12 balls to spare.
What Shreyas Said at the Presentation
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Shreyas was reflective about the innings trajectory. 'It was plausible, honestly. We could have been better considering the start we got in the middle overs, the way Ishan and I created the momentum. And then from there on we lost back-to-back wickets. And then suddenly pressure on the new batsman,' he said.
On the pitch conditions, the India captain noted the challenge posed by the surface. 'It wasn't an easy wicket to play on, especially when the ball was seaming and holding a bit. And also skidding through at times. You must have seen a couple of us; Tilak and I got out in a similar fashion. So yeah, it was challenging, especially with that hard length. But to get to 194, yeah, it was reasonable, I feel. I think we still could have been better with our bowling and fielding. We were a bit sloppy,' he added.
Fielding Lapses Under the Spotlight
Naman Dhir dropped Tim Seifert early in the chase when the New Zealand wicketkeeper was on just 13, a miss that proved costly given Seifert's eventual tally of 93. Sanju Samson also failed to hold a sharp outside edge off Glenn Phillips in the 15th over. Shreyas acknowledged the team's fielding needs work, while offering some context about playing conditions. 'So, I feel today was just that opportunity which we wanted to capitalise on, but we couldn't. But we can brainstorm, and we have to work on a couple of things, especially fielding. That is one aspect of the game we need to improve on. But honestly, it's not that easy when you come under such dark lights, clear skies. We don't get that much in India,' he said.
Series Win Framed as a Learning Curve
Despite the defeat in the final game, India had already secured the series 3-2 after winning the first three T20Is. Shreyas described the tour as a valuable experience. 'Great learning. I think coming overseas, coming to New Zealand, getting to play on such different occasions, different grounds. Yeah, great learning curve,' he said. He also clarified that the last two matches were used as an opportunity to experiment and challenge the squad further, noting that the series had already been won by the third game. The India captain indicated that the team will use the lessons from this tour — particularly in fielding standards — as they prepare for future assignments.
Point of View
But the manner of the fifth T20I defeat flags structural concerns India cannot afford to ignore. Two dropped catches — Seifert let off on 13, who then scored 93 — underline a recurring fielding fragility that has surfaced across formats. The mid-innings batting collapse, from a strong platform built by Shreyas and Kishan, speaks to a brittleness in the lower-middle order that experiments in dead-rubber games have not resolved. Shreyas framing the last two matches as 'experiments' is diplomatically sound, but it should not become a habit of cushioning accountability behind series arithmetic.
NationPress
1 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of the fifth T20I between India and New Zealand?
New Zealand won the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, chasing down India's 191/8 with seven wickets in hand and 12 balls to spare. Tim Seifert top-scored with 93 and Glenn Phillips remained unbeaten on 65.
Who were India's top scorers in the fifth T20I?
Shreyas Iyer scored 50 and Ishan Kishan made 61 to give India a solid platform, but the team lost momentum after both fell in back-to-back overs — the 11th and 12th — and finished on 191/8.
What fielding mistakes did India make in the match?
Naman Dhir dropped Tim Seifert when he had scored just 13, and Sanju Samson failed to hold a sharp outside edge off Glenn Phillips in the 15th over. Both misses proved costly as Seifert went on to score 93 and Phillips made an unbeaten 65.
What did Shreyas Iyer say about India's performance?
Shreyas admitted India were 'a bit sloppy' with their bowling and fielding, and said fielding is 'one aspect of the game we need to improve on.' He also acknowledged the batting momentum was lost after he and Kishan fell in consecutive overs.
Who won the India vs New Zealand T20I series 2026?
India won the five-match T20I series 3-2, having already clinched the series after the third match. The fifth game was used as an opportunity to experiment, though India lost it to New Zealand.
