‘We were a bit sloppy’: Shreyas Iyer points out India’s mistakes after 5th T20I defeat against New Zealand

Shreyas Iyer reflects on India’s defeat (Image: BCCI/X) India captain Shreyas Iyer admitted his team fell short in all three departments after suffering a seven-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park on Sunday. Despite clinching the five-match series 3-2, Iyer pointed to India’s inability to sustain the momentum with the bat along with a stunning bowling and fielding display as the key reasons for the defeat.India posted 191/8 after being asked to bat first, with Ishan Kishan and Iyer producing impressive half-centuries. However, the visitors failed to capitalize on their strong recovery after losing both their batsmen in quick succession.New Zealand made the most of India’s fielding shortcomings and chased down the target in just 17.4 overs. Tim Seifert led the charge with a magnificent 93 off 50 deliveries, while Glenn Phillips remained unbeaten on 65 off 38 balls to guide the hosts to a comfortable seven-wicket win.Speaking at the post-match presentation, Iyer acknowledged that India could have done better after building a promising platform with the bat.“It was believable, honestly. We could have done better considering the start we got in the middle overs, the way Ishan and I built the momentum. And then we lost back-to-back wickets. And then all of a sudden the pressure on the new batsman,” Iyer said.

Shreyas Iyer laments India’s batting collapse after a strong partnership

Iyer and Kishan added 93 runs for the third wicket after India were reduced to 19/2 early in the innings. Kishan scored 61 off 32 balls while the Indian skipper contributed 50 off just 23 deliveries.The pair helped India recover from a difficult position and guided the visitors to a total of over 200. However, their dismissal in quick succession disrupted India’s momentum and allowed New Zealand to regain control.Iyer also highlighted the nature of the surface and explained how the movement and variable bounce made batting challenging, especially against hard length hitters.“It wasn’t easy to play on the wicket, especially when the ball was seaming and holding a bit. And it slipped at times. You must have seen a couple of us; Tilak and I got out in a similar way. So yes, it was challenging, especially with that hard length. But to get to 194, yes, it was reasonable, I feel. I think we could still have been a bit better.

Iyer admits that India needs to improve its position

During the New Zealand chase, Indian lapses in the field also proved costly. Naman Dhir dropped Seifert as the opener was batting on 13, allowing him to make the most of the reprieve and go on for a match-winning 93.Sanju Samson also missed an opportunity to dismiss Phillips after failing to hold on to a sharp outside edge in the 15th over. While admitting that fielding remains an area where India need to improve, Iyer acknowledged that playing in New Zealand’s varied conditions is challenging.“So I feel today was just the opportunity we wanted to take but we couldn’t. But we can brainstorm and we need to work on a few things, especially in the field. That’s one aspect of the game that we need to improve,” he said.“But honestly, it’s not that easy when you get under such dark lights, bright skies. We don’t find much in India. But yeah, great learning curve,” he added.Despite the defeat in the T20I final, Iyer called the series a valuable learning experience for the Indian side, especially considering the challenges of playing in overseas conditions.India took an elusive 3-0 lead after winning the first three matches before New Zealand bounced back with wins in the last two matches to wrap up the series 3-2.

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