The rivalry between the two teams in the shortest formats has given a lot of exciting times. The high-scoring thrillers and the low-scoring intense matches between the two nations have defined the depth of the format. India has a lot of scores to settle against the Kiwis after the hurting losses in some ICC matches across formats. The bilateral series between the two teams takes place every year. The rivalry has seen some high-scoring totals by both the teams. This article will inform our readers about top 10 highest scores by India against New Zealand in the shortest format of the game.
1. 234/4
On 1st February 2023, India elected to bat first in Ahmedabad and posted a mammoth total of 234 on the scoreboard. Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill opened the innings. The left-hander got out early in the innings, but, it was Gill, who capitalized the most of his opportunity to bat deeper. The elegant right-handed batter scored a brilliant 126* off 63, including twelve 4s and seven 6s. Rahul Tripathi also played a beautiful knock of 44 off 22 balls, followed by Suryakumar Yadav and skipper Hardik Pandya, who scored 24 off 13 and 30* off 17, respectively, and helped India to score 234.
2. 208/6
208/6 is the second-highest score by India against the same team in the shortest format of the game. It was the third T20I of the India tour of New Zealand in 2019. On 10th February, India elected to field first in Hamilton. The hosts made a great total of 212. In reply, skipper Rohit Sharma (38 off 32) and the no.3 batter, Vijay Shankar (43 off 28), compiled a 75-run stand after losing Shikhar Dhawan early in the innings. Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya contributed with 28 and 21, respectively. In the end, Dinesh Karthik (33 0ff 16) and Krunal Pandya (26 off 13) did their best but could not get India over the line.
3. 204/4
India chased a huge target of 205 set by the hosts, in Auckland. The first T20I of the India tour of New Zealand in January 2020 was a high-scoring thriller. India lost the opener, Rohit Sharma, for just 7 runs and got off to a bad start. KL Rahul and the skipper, Virat Kohli, then stitched a much-needed partnership of 99 runs before Rahul got dismissed for a well-made 56 off 27. Kohli also got out just after Rahul’s dismissal for 24 off 32. Shreyas Iyer scored a fantastic 59*off 29 and took India home with an over remaining. X
4. 202/3
At the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, the two teams played the first T20I of New Zealand tour of India on 1st November 2017. On a flat batting surface, the visitors decided to bowl first. Indian opener Rohit Sharma (80 off 55) and Shikhar Dhawan (80 off 52) made a mammoth partnership of 158. Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni provided the finishing touches as both scored 26* off 11 and 7* off 2, respectively. India’s total of 202 proved too much for the Kiwis, as they lost the match by 53 runs.
5. 191/6
Finally, with a total of under 200, India scored 191/6 in the second T20I of their tour to New Zealand in 2022. On 20th November, the hosts elected to field first at Mount Maunganui. Opener Ishan Kishan made 36 off 31, after his opening partner, Rishabh Pant, got dismissed for 6. The no.3 batter Suryakumar Yadav scored 111* off 51 balls, including eleven 4s and seven 6s. Shreyas Iyer and skipper Hardik Pandya contributed with 13 each, and took India to 191. The hosts were bowled out for 126, and India won the match by 65 runs.
6. 184/7
This was the third T20i of the home series for India. The hosts elected to bat first at the historic Eden Gardens and made a good total of 184. Skipper and opener Rohit Sharma scored a fantastic 56 off 31. He was out in the middle with the company of the pocket rocket, Ishan Kishan, who scored 29 off 21. Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer scored 25 off 20 and 20 off 15, respectively, to take India to a competitive total. India bowled out New Zealand for 111, as Axar Patel bowled a fine spell of 3/9.
7. 180/9
180/9 came in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa. India and New Zealand played in Johannesburg on 16th September, 2007. India bowled first and conceded 190 runs. In reply, the Indian openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag gave a fine start to their team, scoring 51 off 33 and 40 off 17, respectively. After their dismissal, no other batter, excluding MS Dhoni, could keep up with the run rate, and India lost by ten runs.
8. 179/5
One of the most exciting matches between the two teams took place in Hamilton on 9th January 2020. India batted first and scored 179/5. Rohit Sharma scored 65 off 40, followed by skipper Virat Kohli, who scored 38 off 27. The match ended in a tie and went to the super over, in which, India proved their mettle and won the game.
9. 166/5
On 17th November 2021, the two teams played the first T20I of the series in Jaipur. The visitors batted first and scored 164, which was an under-par score, and the Indian bowlers bowled well. In reply, skipper Rohit Sharma scored 48 off 36, followed by Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 62 off 40 balls, and helped India to win the match.
10. 166/4
Another close encounter between the two teams came in Chennai in the second T20I of the series. The visitors batted first and scored a tricky total of 167. In reply, the Indian opener, Virat Kohli, scored a brilliant 70 off 41 balls to set the tone for India. Skipper MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Yuvraj Singh scored 22 off 23, 27 off 22, and 34 off 26 but could not get India over the line and lost the match by one run.
