Tim Seifert's return to form with the bat helped New Zealand claim another consolation victory against India, getting their T20I series back to 3-2 in the fifth and final match.

Having lost the first three contests before triumphing by 87 runs at Eden Park on Friday, the Black Caps were seven-wicket victors at Hamilton on Sunday.

The hosts started well with the ball, thanks to Adam Milne having openers Abhishek Sharma (1) and Sanju Samson (4) caught with the first 19 balls, although dropped catches and no-balls helped India get back on track with Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer at the crease. 

But two more quickfire wickets accounted for that duo and put New Zealand back in the ascendancy. Kishan fell for 61 to Nathan Smith's catch, and Smith subsequently took up bowling duties to account for Iyer (50) in the very next over.

Indecisive fielding let Naman Dhir (33) off the hook before he was finally dismissed by Blair Tickner, and that left Milne to wrap up the tail with a couple more wickets, finishing 4-19, and stopping India at 191-8.

Milney's 2nd best career T20I figures  https://t.co/NhL5IKdhEV

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 1, 2026

And though New Zealand lost Finn Allen (2) early, Siefert – who was dropped by Dhir on 13 off 15 – anchored their chase with 93 off 50 deliveries.

The opener was eventually bowled by Nitish Kumar Reddy in the 16th over, denying him his maiden T20I ton, but another half-century from Glenn Phillips (65*) got the Black Caps over the line to 195-3 with 12 balls remaining.

Siefert back on form, Phillips and Santner bring up landmarks

Siefert's form had been an issue for New Zealand earlier on in the series, as, following a score of 24 in the first match, he failed to even bring up double figures in any of the next three (7, 2, 3).

However, he managed his second-best innings in the format here, having plundered an unbeaten 97 versus Pakistan last year, to give New Zealand a foundation with the bat.

Phillips was the man to get them over the line, and his display was less of a surprise, given he totalled 341 runs throughout the five matches – the most by any player in a bilateral series, beating Phil Salt's 331 for England versus India three years ago.

There was also a landmark for the Black Caps' captain Mitchell Santner, whose 143rd T20I appearance set a new record for New Zealand, surpassing Ish Sodhi outright.