Auckland, Oct 30 (IANS) India captain Shreyas Iyer admitted that his team fell short with the ball in the fourth T20I against New Zealand, saying the hosts gained momentum during the powerplay, particularly in the third over, which proved costly in their 87-run defeat at Eden Park here on Friday.

New Zealand registered their first victory of the five-match series after Glenn Phillips smashed a sensational 107 off 49 balls, and Michael Bracewell contributed 65 off just 25 deliveries to power the hosts to a mammoth 259/7, their highest-ever T20I total. In reply, India were restricted to 172/9 in 19 overs, with Jacob Duffy claiming four wickets.

Speaking after the match, Iyer acknowledged that India's bowling performance was below expectations and praised Phillips for his outstanding knock.

"Yeah, absolutely. I think we fell a bit short in our bowling to start with. Powerplay, especially in the third over, they got that momentum from there on, and yeah, a couple of bowlers, they tried to squeeze in, but I think an exceptional knock by Glenn. Some phenomenal shots, which were like pure bliss. So kudos to him. He's been consistent throughout the series, so there's a lot to learn from him," Iyer said.

The Indian captain said the team would review its performance and work on improving its execution ahead of the fifth and final T20I in Hamilton.

"Yes, absolutely. I feel that it's important to retrospect, see where we can actually bounce back, come into Hamilton and just have a day off. So I personally feel that we can probably go back to the drawing board and see to it we analyse and try to execute to the best of our abilities in the next game," he added.

Iyer also acknowledged that adapting to the dimensions of New Zealand grounds had been a challenge for some Indian players, particularly those experiencing such conditions for the first time. He, however, backed the team's efforts in the first three matches and described the defeat as a learning experience for the visitors.

"Conversation was just that we knew that the dimensions are going to be like this, and some of them, it's their first time playing on such grounds. So it takes a bit of time for them to adapt to the challenge. It's not that easy; I understand that, but the way they executed the first three games, it was magnificent, and yeah, this is just a learning curve, I feel, that next time when they come here, they would probably have a better idea of how to go about their business. So a great learning curve, and hopefully we come back positive in the next game," he said.

India had already sealed the five-match series by winning the first three games, and the defeat reduced their lead to 3-1. The two teams will now meet in the fifth T20I in Hamilton, with India looking to finish the series on a winning note.

--IANS

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