--- title: "India Beat New Zealand by 4 Wickets in 1st T20I: Sanju Samson, Naman Dhir Shine" url: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/india-beat-new-zealand-by-4-wickets-in-1st-t20i-sanju-samson-naman-dhir-shine author: "Arpan Ghosh" author_url: https://whatsthescore.in/author/arpan-ghosh author_title: "Senior Cricket Analyst, Historian & Former Cricketer" publisher: "What's The Score" category: "Cricket" type: news published: 2026-10-22T16:46:00+05:30 updated: 2026-10-22T12:26:34+05:30 reading_time_minutes: 3 tags: ["1st T20I 2026", "Christchurch T20I", "Cricket Match Report", "Cricket News 2026", "Glenn Phillips", "Hagley Oval", "India cricket", "India Tour of New Zealand", "India vs New Zealand", "Naman Dhir", "New Zealand Cricket", "NZ vs IND", "Sanju Samson", "Shreyas Iyer", "T20I Cricket"] license: "Quotation with attribution and a link is permitted. Full reproduction is not." canonical: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/india-beat-new-zealand-by-4-wickets-in-1st-t20i-sanju-samson-naman-dhir-shine --- # India Beat New Zealand by 4 Wickets in 1st T20I: Sanju Samson, Naman Dhir Shine *India opened their New Zealand T20I tour with a thrilling four-wicket win in Christchurch. Chasing 226, India reached 230/6 in 19.4 overs, powered by Sanju Samson's 67 off 33 balls and Naman Dhir's unbeaten 42 off 15. Glenn Phillips had earlier scored an unbeaten 82 as New Zealand posted 225/4.* By Arpan Ghosh · 22 October 2026 · 3 min read ## Key takeaways - India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the first T20I at Christchurch. - New Zealand scored 225/4 in 20 overs. - India chased the 226-run target, finishing at 230/6 in 19.4 overs. - Sanju Samson scored 67 off 33 balls. - Naman Dhir remained unbeaten on 42 off 15 deliveries. - Abhishek Sharma contributed 29 off 12 balls. - Glenn Phillips scored an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls for New Zealand. - Finn Allen scored 45 off 24 deliveries. India Beat New Zealand by 4 Wickets in 1st T20I as Sanju Samson and Naman Dhir Star **India began their New Zealand T20I tour with a thrilling four-wicket victory in the first T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on October 22, 2026.** Chasing 226, India reached 230/6 in 19.4 overs, finishing with two balls to spare. ## New Zealand Post 225 in Christchurch New Zealand scored 225 in their first innings, with Glenn Phillips leading the attack with an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls. Finn Allen contributed 45 from 24 deliveries, while Bevon Jacobs added 31. ## Sanju Samson Launches India's Chase Sanju Samson smashed 67 off 33 balls, giving India a flying start. Abhishek Sharma added 29 off 12 deliveries as India attacked from the powerplay. ## Naman Dhir Finishes the Job With the chase under pressure in the final overs, Naman Dhir delivered a decisive unbeaten 42 off 15 balls. His late hitting helped India reach the target at 230/6 in 19.4 overs. ## India Take 1-0 Lead in the Series The victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The teams meet again in Christchurch on October 24. ## Conclusion India's successful chase of 226 was built on Samson's explosive start and Dhir's finishing power. New Zealand will look to bounce back in the second T20I, while India aim to build on their winning start. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many runs did Sanju Samson score? Samson scored 67 runs off 33 balls. ### Who helped India finish the chase? Naman Dhir remained unbeaten on 42 off 15 balls, playing a key role in India's late charge. ### Where was the first T20I played? The match took place at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand. ### What is India's lead in the T20I series? India lead the five-match series 1–0 after the opening match. ## Sources - Cricbuzz – NZ vs IND 1st T20I Live Score - https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/161190/nz-vs-ind-1st-t20i-india-tour-of-new-zealand-2026 - Cricbuzz – Full Scorecard - https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scorecard/161190/nz-vs-ind - The Indian Express – India vs New Zealand 1st T20I Live Score - https://indianexpress.com/section/sports/cricket/live-score/new-zealand-vs-india-1st-t20-live-score-full-scorecard-highlights-india-in-new-zealand-5-t20i-series-2026-nzin10222026271646/ - Sunday Guardian Live – Sanju Samson's 67 in Christchurch - https://sundayguardianlive.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-1st-t20i-live-updates-sanju-samson-smashes-23-ball-fifty-before-departing-for-67-at-hagley-oval-310127/ - ICC – New Zealand vs India Match Centre - https://www.icc-cricket.com/matches/271646/new-zealand-vs-india --- Originally published by What's The Score at https://whatsthescore.in/blog/india-beat-new-zealand-by-4-wickets-in-1st-t20i-sanju-samson-naman-dhir-shine