India produced a breathtaking display of power-hitting as Ishan Kishan’s maiden T20I century and a destructive partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav propelled the hosts to a mammoth 271 for five against New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
While a much-anticipated Sanju Samson blitz failed to materialise, the disappointment of the home crowd was quickly erased by Kishan’s sensational shot-making. The left-hander smashed 103 off just 43 balls, studded with six fours and 10 towering sixes, marking his first hundred in the shortest format.
Kishan joined forces with Suryakumar Yadav (63 off 30 balls, 4 fours, 6 sixes) to dismantle the New Zealand bowling attack. The duo stitched together a 137-run third-wicket partnership in just over 10 overs, showing no mercy as boundaries flowed to all parts of the ground.
India Rewrite T20I Record Books
India’s final score of 271/5 is the fifth-highest total ever by a team against a Test-playing nation in T20Is. It continues a record-breaking run for the Indian side, which has now crossed the 250-run mark four times in T20I history.
In the five-match series, India hammered 69 sixes, the most by any team in a bilateral T20I series, surpassing England’s previous record of 64 against West Indies in 2023. The 23 sixes struck in this innings are also joint-most conceded by a Test-playing nation in a T20I, matching South Africa’s unwanted record — also against India — in 2024.
India’s highest T20I score against a Test-playing nation remains 297/6 against Bangladesh, achieved in Hyderabad in 2024. Overall, the highest T20I score against a Test nation belongs to England, who blasted 304/2 against South Africa in Manchester last year.
Early Setbacks Before the Storm
India’s innings began on a shaky note. Opener Sanju Samson managed just six runs, marking his fifth consecutive failure in the series, raising serious questions about his T20 World Cup prospects. He was dismissed by pace spearhead Lockie Ferguson.
Abhishek Sharma (30 off 16 balls) provided brief momentum but also fell victim to Ferguson’s extra pace. At 54 for two after the powerplay, the innings appeared steady rather than explosive.
That changed dramatically once Kishan and Suryakumar took charge.
Kishan Unleashes Carnage
Returning after missing the fourth T20I due to an unspecified injury, Kishan showed no signs of rust. He began his onslaught by smashing Ferguson for a four and a six over extra cover, setting the tone for a brutal assault.
Kishan brought up his half-century in 28 balls with a boundary off Ish Sodhi, while Suryakumar reached his fifty in 26 balls, completing 3,000 T20I runs along the way with a six off Jacob Duffy.
The defining moment came in the 12th over when Kishan tore apart leg-spinner Sodhi for 29 runs, with the sequence reading: 4, 4, 4, 6, 4, 6. Kishan also crossed 1,000 T20I runs during his knock.
Suryakumar was eventually stumped by Tim Seifert while charging Mitchell Santner, but his departure did little to slow India’s charge.
Century Celebrations and Late Fireworks
Kishan reached his maiden T20I hundred in just 42 balls, smashing Santner for consecutive sixes to move from 97 to triple figures. He celebrated the milestone with visible emotion before being embraced by Hardik Pandya. Remarkably, his second fifty came off just 14 deliveries.
The innings finally ended when Kishan was caught at square leg by Glenn Phillips off Duffy, walking back to a standing ovation.
Hardik Pandya provided the finishing touches with a blistering 42 off 17 balls, ensuring India surged past the 250-run mark with ease.