SportsPosted at: Oct 22 2026 7:21PM


Phillips rues missed opportunities as India pull off 226-run chase

New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) Glenn Phillips admitted New Zealand missed crucial opportunities to put India under pressure in the middle overs after the visitors chased down a target of 226 to register
a four-wicket win in the opening T20I in Christchurch on Thursday.
Phillips, who struck an unbeaten 82 to help New Zealand post 225, said his team needed to execute its plans better with the ball and improve its fielding after India completed a successful chase despite a fightback from the hosts.

The New Zealand all-rounder said the team had prepared for India’s aggressive batting approach but stressed that those plans would count for little without proper execution on the field.

“We've got all our plans on the drawing board, but at the end of the day, you've got to execute them," Phillips said at the post-match press conference.

India's batters adapted well to the conditions at Hagley Oval, keeping the required run rate under control even after New Zealand's spinners briefly turned the game around. Phillips felt the bounce
on offer at the venue was another factor the visitors handled effectively.

"The pitches are fantastic as well. The bounce is probably a little more than they're used to, and they adjusted really well today," he said.

Phillips identified the middle overs as a key phase in which New Zealand could have changed the course of the contest. After India raced to 93 without loss, the hosts fought back through Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner, who picked up two wickets each.
However, Phillips believed New Zealand needed to do more to sustain that pressure and prevent the visitors from recovering.

“We maybe take a couple more wickets in the middle or string a few more dots together and we put them under pressure and they don't chase it, then it obviously looks slightly different as well," he said.

Despite the defeat, Phillips was quick to acknowledge India's batting effort, pointing out that chasing such a substantial total was no easy task. The visitors maintained their attacking approach after losing four wickets in a brief period and eventually crossed the finish line with two balls remaining.

"You've also got to give credit to the chasing side for chasing 226. It's always a good chase," he said.

Phillips also noted that India's batters had adjusted well to the relatively larger boundaries at the venue, making effective use of the scoring opportunities available to them.

New Zealand's fielding came under scrutiny following the result, with Phillips asked whether missed catching opportunities had hurt the team's chances. He stressed the need to assess such incidents accurately rather than categorising every missed opportunity as a dropped catch.
"Catches happen and dropped catches happen, but we need to be counting them properly. You’ve got to get your hands on the ball to catch it,” he said.
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