Shivam Dube Blazes Fastest Fifty As India Fall Short

It was a night of fireworks and heartbreak at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The fourth T20 International between India and New Zealand saw a dazzling individual display from Shivam Dube, who nearly single-handedly kept India’s hopes alive in a daunting run chase. But, as fate would have it, his heroics weren’t enough to prevent a 50-run defeat, as New Zealand clawed the series back to 3-1 in emphatic style.

India’s chase of a mammoth 216 got off to the worst possible start. With Ishan Kishan sidelined due to injury—a late change that left India a batter short—the onus was on Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav to provide a solid platform. Instead, the top order crumbled. Abhishek, fresh off his own record-breaking exploits in the previous game, fell to the very first ball, slicing Matt Henry to Devon Conway at deep point. Suryakumar followed in the next over, his gentle push brilliantly caught by Jacob Duffy off his own bowling, and suddenly India found themselves reeling at 9 for two. The crowd, already anxious about Kishan’s absence, fell silent.

Rinku Singh and Sanju Samson, both known for their ability to stabilize an innings, tried to steady the ship. Rinku looked promising, notching up a patient 39, while Samson contributed 24, including a flicked six off Duffy that briefly lifted spirits. But the pair struggled to accelerate, especially in the Powerplay and early middle overs. Rinku was trapped leg before by Zak Foulkes, and Samson was bowled by a straight one from Mitchell Santner. When Hardik Pandya also failed to make an impact, India slumped to 82 for five in the 11th over. The required run rate was climbing, hovering around 14 an over, and the task looked near impossible.

Enter Shivam Dube. Unfazed by the mounting pressure and soaring asking rate, Dube played with a freedom and intent that electrified the crowd. He came to the crease in the ninth over and wasted no time, launching his innings with a six. But it was the 12th over that truly announced his arrival. Dube took a special liking to Ish Sodhi, plundering 29 runs in a single over with a sequence of 4, 6, 4, 6, 6. The ball repeatedly sailed into the stands, and the stadium erupted with every boundary.

Dube’s timing and power were immaculate, but he also rode his luck. On 46, he was adjudged leg before wicket off Duffy’s bowling. Dube immediately reviewed, and the Decision Review System (DRS) overturned the on-field call, giving him a vital lifeline. He made the most of it, racing to his fifty in just 15 balls, the third fastest T20I half-century by an Indian. Only Yuvraj Singh and Abhishek Sharma have reached the milestone quicker—Yuvraj in 12 balls against England in 2007, and Abhishek in 14 balls just one game prior.

According to the match records, Dube’s final tally was a blistering 65 off 23 balls, laced with three fours and seven sixes. His onslaught reignited hopes for the hosts, with the partnership for the sixth wicket alongside Harshit Rana adding 63 runs. Rana, for his part, contributed just nine, but his presence allowed Dube to swing freely.

Just when it seemed Dube might script an improbable comeback, disaster struck. In what can only be described as a cruel twist of fate, Rana drove a ball straight down the ground. Matt Henry got a fingertip to it in his follow-through, deflecting the ball onto the non-striker’s stumps. Dube, backing up, was caught well short of his ground. The crowd gasped in disbelief as the replay confirmed the run-out. That moment, as much as any, signaled the end of India’s challenge. The rest of the batting folded quickly, and India were bowled out for 165, falling 50 runs short of their target.

Earlier in the evening, it was New Zealand’s Tim Seifert who set the tone for the match. Fresh off a stint in the Big Bash League, Seifert blazed his way to 62 off just 36 balls, peppering the boundary with seven fours and three sixes. He began aggressively, carving Arshdeep Singh for three consecutive fours—two off the edge, one off the middle—before launching Harshit Rana for a towering six. Seifert’s tempo allowed Devon Conway, who scored 44, to settle in before accelerating. Conway, after a slow start, found his rhythm against Ravi Bishnoi, taking two fours and a six in quick succession.

The pair put on a 100-run opening partnership, propelling New Zealand to 71 without loss in the Powerplay and 100 in the ninth over. Seifert completed his half-century in just 25 balls, but India managed to claw back with four wickets for 37 runs, reducing New Zealand to 137 for four in the 14th over. The wickets fell not due to any single magical spell, but rather the visitors’ eagerness to keep up the early run rate, which led to a mini-collapse.

Still, Daryl Mitchell provided the late impetus for the Kiwis, smashing an unbeaten 39 off just 18 balls. His clean striking in the death overs ensured New Zealand surged past the 200 mark, finishing on 215 for seven. For India, the bowlers toiled, but the early onslaught left them with too much to do. Kuldeep Yadav’s spell stood out as he broke the opening stand, but the damage had been done.

“It was a special knock, but I wish I could’ve taken the team over the line,” Dube said after the match, his disappointment palpable. His innings was the talk of the night, and rightly so. According to ESPN, "Dube’s 15-ball fifty is the third fastest by an Indian in T20Is." The crowd recognized the effort, giving him a standing ovation as he left the field.

For New Zealand, the win keeps the series alive, pulling it back to 3-1 with one match to play. The visitors will take heart from their strong start and late-order hitting, while India will rue the missed opportunity and early wickets that left too much for Dube to do.

As the teams prepare for the final showdown, all eyes will be on whether India can bounce back or if New Zealand can level the series. One thing’s for sure: fans won’t soon forget the night Shivam Dube lit up Vizag, even if the result didn’t go India’s way.