Rajasthan Royals pacer Adam Milne was named Player of the Match after his four-fer set up New Zealand’s seven-wicket win over India in the final game of the five-match NZ vs IND T20 2026 series at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday.

Milne returned with figures of 4/19 from his four overs, the best by any bowler in the match, to peg India back at both ends of their innings.

The Kiwi pacer struck with his very first ball of the game, having Abhishek Sharma caught at mid-on for one.

He removed Sanju Samson with the first ball of his second over to leave India at 19/2. The Indian wicketkeeper spooned a leading edge to Michael Bracewell.

The 34-year-old conceded just four runs across his opening two overs, making full use of the early movement to trouble the Indian top order.

Milne later returned at the death and conceded just nine off the 17th over before dismissing Nitish Kumar Reddy and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the final over to restrict India to 191/8.

Think you know NZ vs IND cricket? Put your knowledge & guesses about the match to test with the "Howzatt IQ game”

India had looked set for more after Ishan Kishan (61) and Shreyas Iyer (50) added 93 for the third wicket, but Milne’s control either side of the middle overs kept the total within reach.

Tim Seifert struck 93 off 50 balls while Glenn Phillips remained unbeaten on 65 off 38 deliveries as the hosts chased down the target comfortably with two overs to spare.

Milne returned to the New Zealand fold for the India series after shaking off an injury that saw him miss the T20 World Cup 2026.

The 34-year-old pacer, who had last featured for New Zealand in a T20 tri-series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa in Harare more than a year ago, played four of the five matches against India, only sitting out the second game.

He picked up one wicket each in the first and fourth T20I before his heroics on Sunday.

The 4/19 was also Milne’s second-best T20I figures after his 5/26 against Sri Lanka back in 2023. He now has 71 wickets in 60 appearances for the Black Caps in the shortest format.