Things looked ominous for New Zealand during the fourth T20I of the five-match series against India at the ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. They got a lucky wicket of aggressive Shivam Dube as the left-handed batter was dismissed for 65 runs in just 23 deliveries at a strike rate of 282.61.

On the last delivery of the 15th over, there was the anticlimactic end in Shivam Dube's innings as the right-handed batter, Harshit Rana, smashed the slower ball on a short of a lane delivery straight back to the stump at the bowler’s end, where Matt Henry went low and stuck his hand out to try and stop it.

See Also: Watch: Shivam Dube smashes Ish Sodhi for 29 runs in IND vs NZ 4th T20I

The ball brushed his fingers and hit the wickets at the bowler's end. Shivam Dubey was backing up and was out of his crease when the stumps lit up to bring the pin-drop silence in the ground to end the magnificent knock from the left-handed batter. Dube was dismissed for 65 runs in just 23 deliveries, with the help of three boundaries and seven sixes.

Shivam Dube got unlucky dismissals for 65 runs in India vs New Zealand 4th T20I

Earlier in the game, New Zealand posted 215 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs, where Devon Conway and Tim Seifert posted a strong opening partnership of 100 runs as the latter got a strong knock of 62 runs in just 36 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of more than 170.

Watch the video here:

Shivam Dube out #INDvsNZ pic.twitter.com/TS2xZ34cRs

— Cricket Everywhere✍🏻 (@Subhamk79241601) January 28, 2026

India was clinical in the middle overs with the ball before Daddy Mitchell clubbed an undefeated knock of 39 runs in just 18 balls at a strike rate of 216.67, thanks to his couple of boundaries and three sixes, which helped carry the total to 215.

India continued to lose wickets from the start, and apart from Shivam Dube, no one could spend time in the middle, which was the main reason for their 50-run defeat. They will be eager to get back in the best mode ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 215/7 (Tim Seifert 62, Devon Conway 44, Arshdeep Singh 2/33) beat India 165 (Shivam Dube 65, Mitchell Santner 3/26, Jacob Duffy 2/33) by 50 runs.

When India found themselves 82/5 in the eleventh over of the second innings during their 216-run chase of thefourth T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, the chase nearly done before Shivam Dube decided to write his own script with the bat, late in the innings. 

The left-handed batter, Shivam Dube, started his innings with a massive six against Mitchell Santner as the ball sailed over the long-on region for a massive 101-meter six. But the action-packed over against Ish Sodhi, as the second ball was cleared through the gap between long gone and deep midwicket by the left-handed batter for a cracking boundary.

See Also: Watch: “I will…”- Vishal Nishad reveals what he will do if he gets Virat Kohli's wicket in upcoming IPL 2026

After a wide on the very next ball, the leg-spinner went fraction short to the batter who stayed back and cleared his front leg to hammer the pull over the deep mid-wicket for another massive six. He then took his front leg out of the way again to drill the leg spinner over mid-wicket for another back-to-back boundary as he was able to find the gap between long gone and deep mid-wicket.

Shivam Dube smashes Ish Sodhi for 29 runs in one over

The pressure increased the New Zealand spinner, who looped up a delivery full and on the off side as Dube got down low to nail the sock sweep over wide long-on for another six. On the very next delivery, he muscled the pull over deep midwicket for the same result to collect 29 runs of the over.

Watch the video here: 

#ShivamDube pic.twitter.com/444ZTvVqzT

— Cricket Everywhere✍🏻 (@Subhamk79241601) January 28, 2026

Jacob came to bowl the way next over as Dube spotted the shoreline delivery and dispatched it over the corner for the same result before completing his half-century in just 15 deliveries. He flicked the full low full toes over deep Square leg for another six as the pressure mounted over the New Zealand side despite getting five wickets in less than 14 overs.

Earlier in the game, New Zealand posted 215 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs of the innings as Tim Seifert put up a strong knock of 62 runs in 36 deliveries at a rate of 172.22 with the help of seven boundaries and three sixes.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 215/7 (Tim Seifert 62, Devon Conway 44, Arshdeep Singh 2/33) vs India 146/6 (Shivam Dube 65, Mitchell Santner 2/16) 

Right after India claimed an emphatic win against New Zealand in the Guwahati T20I, which secured the five-match T20I series for the hosts with two matches yet to be played, two Indian pace-bowling all-rounders were busy with their bats at the net. 

Hosts India completely dominated in the third T20I last Sunday night (January 25), where they thrashed the Blackcaps by eight wickets with 60 balls remaining to secure the series by 3-0.

New Zealand were restricted to 153/9 in 20 overs in the first innings. While Jasprit Bumrah bagged three wickets (3/17), Ravi Bishnoi (2/18) and Hardik Pandya (2/23) took two wickets each, and Harshit Rana (1/35) got one wicket. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav (0/32) and Shivam Dube (0/24) were wicketless.

See Also: Know dates and Venues for warm up matches of India for upcoming T20 World Cup 2026

Indian top-order batters comfortably chased

Although the opener Sanju Samson (0) was dismissed on the first ball of the second innings. his opening partner Abhishek Sharma (68 not out off 20 balls) and the next batters Ishan Kishan (28 off 13 balls) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (57 not out off 26 balls) thrashed the opponent bowlers to successfully chase the target in just 10 overs, the second fastest T20I chase for 150+ target. 

Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube busy in net practice after IND vs NZ Guwahati T20I

As Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube both didn't get batting opportunities in the match, they were busy in the nets right after the end of the match. 

🎥 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 🙌

Focus 🔛 from #TeamIndia players in the nets right after a big win 💪#INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/l7s3XmhzJD

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 26, 2026

Although Dube batted in the second T20I, where he played the key finisher role (36 not out off 18 balls) along with his skipper Suryakumar Yadav (82 not out off 37 balls) in the successful 209-run chase in 16 overs, Hardik didn't get the batting opportunity in that fixture too. 

In the series opener, while Dube scored only nine runs in the first batting, Hardik scored 25 off 16 balls.

The second T20I of the five-match series between India and New Zealand in Raipur was only about the raining sixes and fours as a total of 21 boundaries and 12 over boundaries were hit in just 15.2 overs by the Indian side, while the Blackcaps smashed 23 boundaries and eight over-boundaries in their allotted 20 overs of the innings.

Apart from the two glorious and aggressive knocks of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube also enjoyed his time in the middle as he smashed Ish Sodhi for a 100-m six on the second ball of the 12th over as he went down on his knee and launched the tossed-up delivery over the long-on region for a massive over-boundary.

See Also: Watch: Suryakumar Yadav smashes Zakary Foulkes for 24 runs in IND vs NZ 2nd T20I in Raipur

The left-handed batter finished the over with another massive six as he picked the length delivery from the leg spinner and nailed it over deep mid-wicket region. India completed the chase in 15.2 overs as it became their highest target successfully chased, going past the same 209 runs against Australia three years ago in Vizag.

Shivam Dube smashes 100m six in IND vs NZ Raipur T20I

New Zealand posted 208 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs as Rachin Ravindra put 44 runs in 26 deliveries at a strike rate of nearly 170, thanks to a couple of boundaries and four massive sixes, while their leader, Mitchell Santner, nailed 47 runs thanks to six boundaries and one six.

Watch the video here: 

HAMMERED and how! 🚀

🎥 Shivam Dube and Surya Kumar Yadav with a couple of massive maximums 😮

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/8G8p1tq1RC#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @IamShivamDube | @surya_14kumar pic.twitter.com/XGxSxTbiZm

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 23, 2026

For India, it was not an easy and smooth start to the chase as they lost both their openers for just eight runs on the board inside the first 2 overs before Ishan Kishan played in a fabulous knock of 76 runs in just 32 deliveries at a strike rate of 237.5, thanks to 11 boundaries and four sixes.

Meanwhile, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 82 runs in 37 balls at a strike rate of 221.62 with the help of nine boundaries and four sixes, while Dube remained unbeaten on 36 runs to complete India’s 2-0 series lead.

Brief Scores: India 209/3 (Suryakumar Yadav 82*, Ishan Kishan 76*, Ish Sodhi 1/34) beat New Zealand 208/6 (Mitchell Santner 47*, Kuldeep Yadav 2/35).

Team India had an impressive year in T20Is in 2025. They played 21 matches, winning 15 and losing three. One match ended in a tie, while two had no result. As a result, the Men in Blue finished 2025 with a win percentage of 71.42.

India started the year with a strong 4–1 home series win against England and ended it with a convincing 3–1 home victory over South Africa. In between, they won the Asia Cup in the UAE without losing a match, recording six wins and one tie. Team India also claimed a 2–1 series win against Australia in Australia.

Several Indian batters delivered memorable performances in T20Is during the year. In this feature, we look at the top five T20I performances by Indian batters in 2025.

Also Read -Top 5 T20I performances by Indian bowlers in 2025 ft. Kuldeep Yadav

5. Shivam Dube (53 off 34) vs England, Pune

Shivam Dube was named Player of the Match for his quick 53 off 34 balls in the fourth T20I against England in Pune. India had a poor start while batting first, losing three wickets for just 12 runs. Abhishek Sharma (29) and Rinku Singh (30) got starts but failed to convert them, and India were reduced to 79/5.

Dube led a strong counter-attack, hitting seven fours and two sixes. He slog-swept Adil Rashid for a big six and later hit the spinner for a four and a six over his head. Dube reached his fifty off 31 balls. India posted 181 for 9 and won the match by 15 runs.

4. Abhishek Sharma (74 off 39) vs Pakistan, Dubai

Abhishek Sharma played several memorable knocks in T20Is in 2025 and finished the year as India’s highest run-scorer. He scored 859 runs in 21 matches at a strike rate of 193.46. One of his best innings came against Pakistan in Dubai during the Asia Cup Super 4 stage.

Abhishek smashed 74 off 39 balls, hitting six fours and five sixes, as India chased 172 in 18.5 overs. He began the chase with a six off the first ball from Shaheen Afridi. He also took on Abrar Ahmed, hitting multiple boundaries. Abhishek reached his fifty in 24 balls and set up India’s win.

3. Hardik Pandya (63 off 25) vs South Africa, Ahmedabad

Hardik Pandya produced a powerful knock of 63 off 25 balls against South Africa in Ahmedabad in India’s final T20I of 2025. He hit five fours and five sixes as India won the high-scoring match by 30 runs.

India scored 231 for 5 while batting first. Hardik came in during the 13th over and hit his first ball for a six. He attacked both Corbin Bosch and George Linde, scoring freely. Hardik reached his fifty in just 16 balls before getting out in the final over.

Read More -Top 10 Test Wicket-Takers of 2025 ft. Mohammed Siraj

2. Tilak Varma (69 off 53) vs Pakistan, Dubai*

Tilak Varma enjoyed a fine year in T20Is, scoring 567 runs in 20 matches at an average of 47.25. His best innings came in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Dubai.

Chasing 147, India lost three early wickets. Tilak stayed calm under pressure and scored an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls. He played key shots against the spinners and sealed the win with a six off Haris Rauf when India needed eight runs from five balls.

1. Abhishek Sharma (135 off 54) vs England, Mumbai

Abhishek Sharma was the only Indian batter to score a T20I hundred in 2025. He smashed 135 off 54 balls against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. His innings included seven fours and 13 sixes.

Abhishek attacked from the start, taking on Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. He reached his fifty in just 17 balls and continued to dominate the bowlers. He brought up his century in 37 balls, playing one of the best T20I knocks of the year before getting out in the 18th over.

Fans were left smiling after an amusing moment involving Shivam Dube in the 5th and final T20 match between India and South Africa in Ahmedabad. As Dube was ready to walk out to bat, a young kid asked him for an autograph. In a video shared on X, Dube was seen sitting in the dugout with his pads on and politely gesturing to the kid that he would give the autograph later.

The timing of the request made fans laugh, as Dube was fully focused on the game and about to go in to bat. Still, the moment showed the growing popularity of the all-rounder among young fans. Dube kept his calm and acknowledged the request without losing his match focus.

On the field, Dube had a very short but useful contribution. He came in to bat in the final over of India’s innings and faced only three balls. However, he scored 10 quick runs, including a four and a six, helping India post a big total of 231/5.

Match Result and Dube’s World Cup Chance

South Africa started the chase well with a 69-run opening partnership between Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks. De Kock then added another 51 runs with Dewald Brevis, but his dismissal for 65 changed the match. After that, the remaining South African batters failed to keep up the scoring, and India won the match by 30 runs to take the series 3-1.

Watch the video here 

𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲: 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 😡

In the India vs South Africa match, Shivam Dube was fully padded up, sitting there, ready to walk in to bat.
And then a small kid starts 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆, “𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘮 𝘋𝘶𝘣𝘦…… pic.twitter.com/crQJUT8NJ5

— Jara (@JARA_Memer) December 19, 2025

See Also: BCCI explains why Axar Patel was named vice-captain for T20 World Cup 2026 after Shubman Gill snub

Hardik Pandya was named as Player of the Match for his all-round performance, where he scored 63 runs and took one wicket. Currently, Dube is also a very strong contender for a spot in the ICC T20 World Cup Squad of 2026. He is a 32-year-old player who has impressed with his power-hitting skills as well as his seam bowling.

Dube was also part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2024 and played an important role in the final, scoring 27 off 16 balls as India beat South Africa by six runs. India will next play a five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting January 21. The Men in Blue will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

India Squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.

In reply to India’s 231 in the first innings of the fifth T20I of the five-match series between India and South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, South Africa made a brutal start in their chase as Quinton De Kock celebrated his 50 in just 30 deliveries. The Proteas took on all the Indian bowlers and managed to put pressure on them.

Something very special was needed from India to break the opening partnership, and Shivam Dube provided them with the same thing. On the third delivery of the seventh over, Reeza Hendricks flicked Varun Chakravarthy into the leg side, where Dube ran to his left and plunked it out of thin air with his left hand.

See Also: Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant omitted? Delhi announce squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025/26

It was a superb catch from the Indian all-rounder, who was not in control while taking the catch. Hendricks’s struggling knock off 13 runs in 12 deliveries ended, which was decorated with only one boundary. South Africa ended with 99/1 in nine overs to get the perfect start in the chase.

Shivam Dube’s one-handed spectacular catch goes viral

Earlier in the game, India made a massive score of 231 in their allotted 20 overs thanks to Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya’s 104-run partnership in just 44 deliveries for the fourth wicket, which provided them the platform for the massive score. The latter smashed 63 runs in 25 balls at a strike rate of 252 with the help of five boundaries and five sixes.

Watch the video here: 

𝗜. 𝗖. 𝗬. 𝗠. 𝗜

Need a wicket? Call Varun Chakaravarthy 😎

Shivam Dube with a brilliant catch as #TeamIndia have the 1⃣st wicket 🙌

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/kw4LKLNSl3#INDvSA | @IamShivamDube | @chakaravarthy29 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/WrDU6bI0uh

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Tilak nailed 70 runs in just 42 deliveries at a strike rate of 173.81 with the help of ten boundaries and one six. Even their opening batters, Sanju Samson and Abhisek Sharma, were exceptional in their respective 30+ run knocks at a strike rate of more than 160.

The message was clear from the dressing room as all the batters went hard from the very first delivery of their innings. India had already taken an unassailable lead of 2-1 in the series after their victories in Cuttack and Dharamshala, following a defeat in New Chandigarh.  

India’s premier all-rounder, Axar Patel, has revealed that the dressing room’s message was to take the game deep during the fourth T20I of the five-match series against Australia at the Carra Oval in Gold Coast. The left-handed batter has smashed 21 unbeaten runs in 11 balls with the help of one boundary and one six in the last over to breach the 160-run mark for the Blue Brigade.

With the ball, the left-arm spinner picked up two wickets for 20 runs in four overs at an economy rate of five. During the post-match interview with BCCI TV, Axar revealed how he used the angle with the bat to create pressure on the home batters in the interaction with Shivam Dube. 

See Also: Know why UP Warriorz decided to avoid retaining Deepti Sharma ahead of WPL 2026 auction

“Obviously I knew it was tough because wickets were falling back to back. The message that I got from the dressing room was to take it to the last over because there weren't any batsmen after me. So I thought I would take a chance in the last over. The side boundaries were big but I thought if I could hold my shape and watch the ball, I could clear them.” Axar expressed in a video with all-rounder Dube as the BCCI posted on social media.

Watch: Axar Patel shares dressing room of India post 4th T20I victory vs Australia

In the chase, Australia were bundled out for just 119 runs. Axar, Washington Sundar, and Varun Chakravarthy shared combined figures of 6/49 in 9.2 overs.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Team India (@indiancricketteam)

“I have felt in the past that if I think about the size of the boundary and don't hit towards those sides, they become predetermined shots and because of that we make mistakes. I learnt from past mistakes and played my shots here.” Axar shed light.

“I'm never ready to take a review. But when the ball hit (his pads) this time, I think it stayed low. And the kind of action that I have, I bowl a little wide off the crease. So I always feel that the ball will hit outside the wicket or go from an angle. But in this I knew that the ball was hitting and (although) it could have been a little outside the off stump, we could take a chance on umpire's call.” The left-arm spinner addressed.

When India posted 167/8 in the first innings during the fourth T20I of the five-match series against Australia at the Carra Oval in Gold Coast, many thought it would be hard for the visitors to put pressure and defend the score against the home side. But once the ball got old, batting was incredibly tough to achieve proper timing with the bat, and that was what the Suryakumar Yadav-led side kept in mind. 

Matthew Short smashed Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy for two sixes inside the powerplay, besides two boundaries. But the question is whether the Indian spinners could inspire them to make a strong comeback. Just like the visitors’ middle order, Australia had the same fate as they were reduced to 70/3 in the 10th over.

See Also: [WATCH] Axar Patel draws first blood with Matthew Short's wicket during AUS vs IND 4th T20I

The only man who could turn the game in a blink of an eye was Tim David, who smashed Shivam Dube for a massive six out of the ground and was fresh from his blistering half-century in the previous game. But the bowler had the last laugh with the wicket of the right-handed batter.

Watch: Shivam Dube collects massive wicket of Tim David during AUS vs IND Gold Coast T20I

It was a slower ball from Dube towards David as the ball was late on pulling the short ball, and he got the ball high in the air. It surprised the veteran as it zipped through off the surface and got high on the bat to balloon it to the extra cover region.

- What a delivery that was to get the wicket of the big Man Tim David.

- Well bowled Shivam Dube 👏👏#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/o53pdFrpFO

— Criclytics (@Criclytics_1) November 6, 2025

After the wicket of David, Australia lost Josh Phillipe to the bowling of Arshdeep, while on the last ball of his spell, Varun Chakravarthy collected the massive wicket of Glenn Maxwell, who could have been a little smarter in the process. Australia found themselves 103/6 in 15 overs.

India, in the first innings, recorded 167/8 in their allotted 20 overs after Shubman Gill drilled 46 runs along with Abhishek Sharma’s 28 runs. Axar Patel’s cameo of unbeaten 21 runs in 11 balls was important to shoulder the visitors over the 160-run mark.

Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh introduced the right bowler against Shivam Dube. For the Australia vs India 4th T20I (AUS vs IND 4th T20I), the Indian team management sent Dube out in the park as the number 3 batter, which was his unusual position. The all-rounder was just about to settle down on the track when Australian pacer Nathan Ellis dismantled the timbers with a slower delivery. 

Just a few balls ago, before losing the wicket, Dube smashed spinner Adam Zampa for the six. The ball went out of the stadium. But as soon as Marsh put Nathan Ellis, a pacer, into the attack, the left-handed all-rounder was exposed. 

During the third ball of the 12th over of the first innings, Ellis took off most of the pace from the delivery and guided it towards the leg stump. Dube tried to push the ball towards the leg side, using the pace, but he proved absolutely wrong as the ball had barely any pace and hardly enough room for the southpaw to use his wrists. The ball sneaks past the inside edge, clips him on the thigh pad of the back leg and deflects onto the stumps. Dube heads back to the dugout after scoring 22 from 18 balls.

Read More: WATCH: PM Narendra Modi surprise to hear this question from Women's World Cup 2025 winning team India star Harleen Deol

Shivam Dube clean bowled in AUS vs IND 4th T20I 

With Abhishek Sharma (28) and Shubman Gill, Team India got a flying start at the Heritage Bank Stadium. Both of the batters played some aggressive shots to set a foundation for a big score. In the opening pair, Team India put on a fifty-plus run partnership. 

After the departure of Sharma, Team India was struggling to maintain momentum in the middle overs. With a boundary and an over-boundary, Dube was looking promising, but he was not able to score impressive runs.