India vs New Zealand Match: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan delivered a night to remember on Saturday, January 31, 2026, as he smashed his first-ever T20I century in the fifth and final match against New Zealand.
The knock came at the Greenfield International Stadium, turning the contest into a one-sided run fest and giving India huge momentum ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Coming into the match under pressure, Ishan Kishan responded in the best possible way. He scored 103 runs off just 43 balls, striking the ball cleanly and with confidence. His strike rate of 239.53 underlined the dominance of his innings.
Ishan Kishan’s explosive innings
| Stat | Numbers |
|---|---|
| Runs | 103 |
| Balls Faced | 43 |
| Strike Rate | 239.53 |
| Fours | 6 |
| Sixes | 10 |
| Century | Off 42 balls |
Kishan reached his hundred in only 42 deliveries, making it the fifth-fastest T20I century by an Indian batter. He showed special intent against spin, including a brutal over where he took 29 runs off Ish Sodhi.
Match situation and key partnership
India finished their innings on a massive 271/5 in 20 overs. Kishan shared a stunning 137-run stand with captain Suryakumar Yadav, who chipped in with a quick 63 off 30 balls. At the last update, New Zealand were 98/1 after 7.4 overs while chasing the huge target.
The pitch in Thiruvananthapuram proved ideal for batting, with India also setting a record for the most sixes in a bilateral T20I series—69 in total.
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Career milestone for Ishan Kishan
With this knock, Ishan Kishan crossed 1,000 T20I runs and became only the second Indian, after Rohit Sharma, to score both an ODI double century and a T20I century. The timing of this innings could not be better as World Cup selection decisions approach.
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