Ishan Kishan's Ton, Arshdeep Singh's Fifer Help India Beat New Zealand By 46 Runs In Trivandrum; Clinch Series 4-1

India vs New Zealand: A blistering century by Ishan Kishan, a classy knock by skipper Suryakumar Yadav, and a fantastic five-wicket haul by Arshdeep Singh helped Team India register a commanding 46-run win against New Zealand after posting a massive 271 runs in the final T20I of the five-match series here on Saturday.

With this victory, the 'Men in Blue' clinched the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 4-1, having earlier won the first, second, and third T20I. NZ had won the fourth match of the series.

Chasing a massive 272 runs at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, New Zealand, were off to a mixed start, losing their opener, Tim Seifert, for five runs as they scored 17 runs.

However, Finn Allen played a counter-attacking knock as he raced away to a 22-ball half-century, the fastest against India by a BlackCaps batter in T20Is. New Zealand made 79/1 in six overs. India also conceded their highest powerplay total in T20Is after 78/0 against West Indies in 2016.

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After the end of eight overs, New Zealand smashed 105/1. During the last ball of the ninth over, Axar Patel removed dangerous Finn Allen for 80 off 38 deliveries, with eight fours and six towering sixes. After the end of 10 overs, the visitors reached 131/2.

Axar got his second wicket as he removed Glenn Phillips for just seven runs during the second ball of the 11th over. In the following over, Arshdeep removed Rachin Ravindra for 30 off 11 deliveries, with four boundaries.

During the third ball of the over, Arshdeep removed captain Mitchell Santner for a two-ball duck as the visitors slumped to 138/5.

During the 14th over, Bevon Jacobs and Daryl Mitchell combined to slam 22 runs against ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah as New Zealand reached 166/5. In the very next over, spinner Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed Bevon Jacobs for seven runs.

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During the 16th over, Arshdeep struck twice - removing Kyle Jamieson (9) and Daryl Mitchell (26 off 12 balls, with two fours and two sixes) to complete his first five-wicket haul in T20I cricket.

Towards the end, New Zealand were bundled out for 225 runs in 19.4 overs, and they lost the high-scoring contest by 46 runs.

For India, Arshdeep Singh (5/51), Varun Chakaravarthy (1/36), Axar Patel (3/33), and Rinku Singh (1/7) were among the wicket-takers.

Earlier, a blistering century by Ishan Kishan and his 137-run partnership with skipper Suryakumar Yadav powered India to 271/5 after opting to bat first.

After Sanju Samson failed to make his mark in his home state, Ishan (103 in 43 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes), skipper Surya (63 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and six sixes) and Hardik Pandya (42 in 17 balls, with a four and four sixes) played entertaining knocks to take India to a massive total.

Opener Abhishek Sharma made 16-ball 30, with four boundaries and two sixes.

India reached the 50-run mark in 5.4 overs with a four by skipper Suryakumar through extra-cover and ended the powerplay at 54/2 in six overs.

Suryakumar and Ishan continued to find singles and got a six each in the coming overs. Surya continued to tick the scoreboard, first smashing a long hop by Ish Sodhi for four in the ninth over and then a straight six against Mitchell Santner in the ninth over. In the same over, Ishan got a four and six later on, bringing up India's 100-run mark in 9.5 overs.

At the end of 10 overs, India was 102/2, with Suryakumar (27*) and Ishan (39*) unbeaten and having made a 54-run stand in just 30 balls.

It was an absolute massacre against Ish Sodhi in the 12th over as Ishan launched him for 4,4,4,6,4,6, collecting 29 runs in his over with a wide as extra. He reached his second fifty of the series in 28 balls, with three fours and four sixes as Team India reached 141 runs in just 12 overs.

The century stand came in just 44 balls.

The 13th over by Duffy saw Surya for a four over mid-on and then two back-to-back sixes, reaching his third fifty of the series in just 26 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes. Surya ended the over with a flick for six, looting 23 runs in total.

However, he fell to Santner courtesy a fine stumping from Tim Seifert for a 30-ball 63, with four boundaries and six sixes. The partnership of 137 runs for the third wicket was undone, and India was 185/3 in 14.3 overs.

India reached the 200-run mark in 15.4 overs. In the 17th over by Santner, Hardik Pandya collected a four and six before Ishan 
ended the over with back-to-back maximums, reaching his maiden T20I century in just 42 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes.

Duffy got the prized wicket of Ishan Kishan, with Glenn Phillips taking a catch to remove him for a 43-ball 103. India was 233/4 in 17.3 overs.

With Rinku Singh and Hardik going strong, India brought the 250-run mark in 19 overs.

Kyle Jamieson ended Hardik's cameo of 42 runs in 17 balls, with four and seven sixes. India was 261/5 in 19.2 overs.
The Indian team ended their innings at 271/5, with Rinku Singh (8*) and Shivam Dube (7*) unbeaten.

Lockie Ferguson (2/41) was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, while Jacob Duffy (1/53), Kyle Jamieson (1/59) and Mitchell Santner (1/60) leaked runs.