Mitchell Santner becomes first spinner with multiple four-wicket hauls against India
A spin masterclass in Christchurch
Mitchell Santner rewrote the record books in the second T20I in Christchurch on Saturday, dismantling India's middle order with figures of 4 for 21 from his four overs. The New Zealand captain's spell briefly turned the contest on its head after the hosts had posted 180 for 5 — and it earned him a piece of history against the three-time T20 World Cup champions.
With India's chase losing momentum, Santner struck at decisive intervals, forcing the tourists' batters into risky strokes under pressure and reducing them to 112 for 6 in the 15th over.
How the collapse unfolded
- Abhishek Sharma 27 — caught by Nathan Smith at deep midwicket as Santner struck his first blow.
- Shreyas Iyer 7 — the India captain was bowled, deceived by drift and flight as he attempted to slog across the line.
- Axar Patel 11 — Daryl Mitchell completed an excellent relay catch near the boundary after Finn Allen intervened.
- Naman Dhir 31 off 17 balls — the set batter was tempted by a flighted delivery outside off, and his attempted inside-out loft ended in the hands of Glenn Phillips at extra cover.
Dhir's dismissal in the 15th over was the moment the required rate began to climb sharply, and with India reeling at 112 for 6, New Zealand appeared to be in control of the contest. Santner's figures of 4/21 reflected not just his wicket-taking ability but his knack for dictating terms to a batting line-up that had been comfortably placed earlier in the chase.
A record nearly a decade in the making
Santner's latest effort came almost ten years after his previous four-wicket haul against India. On that occasion he returned career-best figures of 4/11 in Nagpur during the 2016 T20 World Cup, playing a pivotal role in New Zealand's famous 47-run victory after the Black Caps had posted 126 for 7 and bowled India out for 79.
No other spinner had managed the feat twice against India in men's T20Is, making Santner the first to do so.
Four-wicket hauls by spinners against India in T20Is
- 4/9 — Wanindu Hasaranga, Colombo (RPS), 2021
- 4/11 — Mitchell Santner, Nagpur, 2016
- 4/20 — Daniel Vettori, Johannesburg, 2007
- 4/20 — Gerhard Erasmus, Delhi, 2026
- 4/21 — Mitchell Santner, Christchurch, 2026
Individual glory, collective defeat
Santner's spell was not enough to close out the game. Tilak Varma, unbeaten on 51 off 26 balls, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, unbeaten on 26 off just 13 deliveries, produced a stunning counterattack to take India home. Their unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 69 runs off 30 balls transformed the contest, helping India chase down the target of 181 in 19.5 overs and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
New Zealand's white-ball captain has consistently prioritised the international calendar over franchise opportunities, having turned down an Adelaide Strikers contract in the Big Bash League to remain available for the Black Caps' demanding schedule against India and Australia, as reported on 11 September 2026.