India script successive Super Over wins against New Zealand

Virat Kohli inflicted more Super Overs misery on New Zealand as he helped India to a second successive victory in sudden death to win the fourth Twenty20 international in Wellington on Friday.

New Zealand have lost four limited overs matches in Super Overs in the last six months, including the one-day World Cup final against England last year and the third Twenty20 match against India in Hamilton on Wednesday.

Needing 14 to win the match after Tim Seifert (eight) and Colin Munro (five) gave New Zealand a total of 13-1, KL Rahul hit the first ball from Tim Southee for six and the next for four before he was caught by Scott Kuggeleijn at deep midwicket.

Kohli then bunted two runs down the ground and hit Southee for four to take India to 16-1 and a 4-0 lead in the series.

The hosts had appeared to be cruising to victory in the regulation 20 overs on 159-3 and needing seven runs from the final six balls bowled by Shardul Thakur.

Yet they lost four wickets to finish on 165-7.

Seifert had put New Zealand in position to win the game as he combined with Ross Taylor (24) in a 62-run partnership that was broken in the final over.

Seifert was then run out for 57, while Daryl Mitchell was caught and Mitchell Santner run out on the final ball attempting the second run that would have given New Zealand the win.

Opener Colin Munro had earlier scored 64 but threw his wicket away after some lazy running led to him being run out from a direct hit by Kohli after he took a relay throw from the outfield from Thakur.

India had scored 165-8 in their 20 overs, with Manish Pandey having superbly marshalled the tail and scored his third half century to finish on 50 not out.

The final game is in Mt. Maunganui on Sunday before a three-match one-day international series starts in Hamilton on Feb. 5.