When it comes to the shortest version of the game, there is no foreign hunting ground that has given India more amount of joy and heart-throbbing moments than New Zealand.
A rocky start littered with losses has paved the way for an era of unrivaled dominance. The Men in Blue are currently on a seven-match unbeaten T20I streak in the island nation, including a record 5-0 whitewash in 2020, and a recent series win in 2022.
Here's a look back at India's Top 5 T20I masterclass performances on New Zealand's soil
1. Hamilton's Miracle Super Over (January 29, 2020, Seddon Park Hamilton)
The Context: At the absolute pinnacle sits the match which defined India's 5-0 whitewash – a contest of nerve, grit and individual brilliance.
The Heroics: Rohit Sharma's sublime fifty propelled India to 179-5. A masterclass from New Zealand's Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson, who notched a career-best 95, saw them needing just nine runs from the last over. Mohammed Shami fought back brilliantly, conceding only two runs and removing both Williamson and Ross Taylor to tie the match.
New Zealand then smashed 17 runs off Jasprit Bumrah in the Super Over, putting India under the cosh. Tim Southee tightened the screws and left India needing 10 runs off the last two balls. Up stepped Rohit Sharma and he dispatched two, monstrous sixes over the boundary to steal a victory out of thin air. It remains the gold standard of India-New Zealand T20 encounters.
2. The Wellington Super Over Thriller (January 31, 2020, Wellington)
The Context: Just days after a super-over classic in Hamilton, lightning struck twice for a rare instance in international cricket when consecutive matches in the same series ended in dramatic ties.
The Heroics: Manish Pandey fought hard with an unbeaten fifty to propel India to 165-8. New Zealand were looking comfortably on course at 96-1 in the 12th over. But self-destruct in the death overs and a magnificent final over by Shardul Thakur seeing him pick up four wickets as the hosts lost their footing and tied the game. In the ensuing Super over, New Zealand set a target of 14, which India hunted down with a ball to spare to take an unassailable 4-0 series lead.
3. The Auckland Run-Chase Record (January 24, 2020, Auckland)
The Context: The opening T20I of the iconic 2020 tour saw India record the highest-ever run chase in a T20I away from home to turn Eden Park into a sea of blue.
The Heroics: Powered by fifties from Colin Munro, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, New Zealand piled up a formidable 203-8, and with the early fall of Rohit Sharma, the panic was almost inevitable. KL Rahul (56) and Virat Kohli steadied the ship with a 99-run stand and with 83 needed off the last nine overs, Shreyas Iyer unleashed a blistering unbeaten 29-ball 58. Expertly backed by Shivam Dube and Manish Pandey saw them seal a stunning victory with an over to spare.
4. Surya's Mount Maunganui Storm (November 20, 2022, Mount Maunganui)
The Context: Following a rain-affected series opener in Wellington, the Hardik Pandya-led side stamped their absolute authority in the second match to record India's biggest win by run margin (65 runs) in T20I history on New Zealand soil.
The Heroics: Operating at the absolute zenith of his powers, Suryakumar Yadav played an innings for the ages in a match in which his partners were unable to fire. SKY smashed an unbeaten 111 off just 51 balls, accounting for well over half of India's 191-6. Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck early with the ball, and a career-best haul of 4-10 from Deepak Hooda saw the Blackcaps tail off spectacularly from 88-3 to 126 all out.
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5. The Breakthrough Night at Eden Park (February 8, 2019, Auckland)
The Context: India's wait on Kiwi soil for a T20I win finally came to an end following a winless decade after their inaugural tour in 2009, with a defeat in the 2019 series opener.
The Heroics: A disciplined bowling effort saw Krunal Pandya with his stellar three-wicket haul, restricting New Zealand to a manageable 158-8 thanks to a rescue act by Colin de Grandhomme. A composed top order in India's legendary batting meant business, and a classy fifty from Rohit Sharma and a cool finish from veterans Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni saw them wrap up the chase with seven balls to spare. It was the birth of India's belief in modern-day T20 in New Zealand.
Looking Ahead
With a rich history of nail-biting finishes, superhuman individual knocks and historic triumphs in Kiwi memories, the stage is set for the latest chapter. Can the next generation write their own folklore on New Zealand turf?