The fifth and final T20 match of the series between India and New Zealand took place on January 31 (Saturday) at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India secured a phenomenal win by 46 runs. After winning the toss, India opted to bat first.
Thanks to Ishan Kishan’s century (103 runs) and Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive fifty, India set a daunting target of 272 runs for New Zealand. In response, New Zealand’s chase faltered, concluding at 225 runs in 19.4 overs. Arshdeep Singh was the star bowler for India, claiming five wickets. With this triumph, India dominated the T20 series with a 4-1 scoreline.
This encounter was particularly significant as it served as the last opportunity for both teams to experiment and prepare before the ICC T20 World Cup commencing on February 7. Now, both India and New Zealand will go straight into the World Cup.
New Zealand’s chase started poorly, losing Tim Seifert’s wicket cheaply. Arshdeep Singh dismissed Seifert for a mere 5 runs. Finn Allen, however, brought New Zealand back into contention with his aggressive batting. Allen reached his fifty in just 22 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes.
Finn Allen seemed destined for a century but was halted by Axar Patel. Allen contributed 80 runs off 30 balls with a remarkable six sixes and eight fours. Axar also took out Glenn Phillips, who managed to score just 7 runs. Later, Arshdeep Singh dismissed both Rachin Ravindra (30 runs) and Mitchell Santner (0 runs) in the same over, putting New Zealand on the back foot.
Varun Chakravarthy provided the sixth breakthrough for India by dismissing Bevan Jacobs (7 runs). Arshdeep further struck, sending Kyle Jamieson (9 runs) and Daryl Mitchell (23 runs) back to the pavilion. With Mitchell’s dismissal, Arshdeep completed his five-wicket haul. Lockie Ferguson (3 runs) fell as New Zealand’s ninth wicket, bowled by Axar Patel. Ish Sodhi was the last to be dismissed for 33 runs by Rinku Singh.
Team India’s innings began with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as openers. Abhishek was aggressive from the first ball, whereas local hero Sanju Samson faltered, managing only 6 runs. He lost his wicket in the third over, with India's score at 31. Abhishek Sharma departed in the fifth over after scoring 30 runs off 16 balls, featuring four fours and two sixes. Despite early setbacks, Ishan Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav steadied the innings.
After 10 overs, India’s score crossed 100. Ishan Kishan smashed a fifty in the 12th over, taking just 28 balls. Subsequently, Suryakumar took charge and reached his fifty in 26 balls. Suryakumar's wicket fell in the 15th over after he made 63 off 30 balls. The partnership between Ishan and Suryakumar yielded 137 runs from just 57 balls. Suryakumar’s innings included four fours and six sixes. Ishan continued his assault, scoring a century in just 42 balls. He was dismissed in the 18th over, having notched up 103 runs, laced with 10 sixes and six fours. Hardik Pandya then blasted 42 runs off 17 balls, helping India set a challenging target of 272 runs for New Zealand. Indian batsmen amassed 169 runs in the last 10 overs.
Total T20I Matches: 30 India Wins: 16 New Zealand Wins: 11 Ties: 3
First T20, Nagpur: India triumphed over New Zealand by 48 runs. Second T20, Raipur: India emerged victorious by 7 wickets. Third T20, Guwahati: India sealed an 8-wicket victory. Fourth T20, Visakhapatnam: New Zealand clinched a 50-run win.
