India vs New Zealand, 5th T20I Match Summary

That's a wrap to the series - Now then, Suryakumar Yadav receives the trophy from the BCCI President Mithun Manhas and walks towards his teammates, who eagerly wait for their skipper to join them in their celebrations behind the Winners board. That wraps up a high-scoring series, with India taking it 4-1. New Zealand showed glimpses of fight but in patches and couldn’t consistently handle the Indian batting onslaught. Still, they won’t go home empty-handed, having beaten the Men in Blue 2-1 in the preceding ODI series. Both teams now turn their focus to the ICC T20 World Cup, starting next Saturday, 7th February, and will be playing their warm-up games ahead of the main event. Until then, we sign off from here, only to meet again the next time. Take care, cheers!

PLAYER OF THE SERIES - The victorious captain of India, Suryakumar Yadav, receives the award for being the leading run scorer of the series (242 runs). He says it feels incredible to have a performance like this after a long year and a long wait. He explains that he has stuck to his routine and trusted the process, knowing that he wasn’t out of form, just out of runs. Further adds that having a series like this just before the World Cup feels especially rewarding, while also reflecting on how he navigated a lean patch by going back to the drawing board and leaning on advice from close friends. He stresses that as a team, there’s always something to take from every game, win or lose. Says that they will analyse the five matches to build toward the World Cup. Acknowledging the challenges this format poses for bowlers, he says it’s all part of the learning curve. Yadav concludes that he’s thrilled the team has found momentum at the right time and is now eager to kick off their World Cup campaign.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Ishan Kishan (103 runs off 43 balls) says that he just wanted to watch the ball and play accordingly. Adds that the plan is to always go for runs even if you are close to a milestone, if the ball is there, you go for it, and think about winning games. Mentions that he is still not at his absolute best, but his focus is on the World Cup and he wants to carry this same form into the bigger competition as well.

The captain of New Zealand - Mitchell Santner reflects on the series, saying that it had been a valuable learning experience for the team. He admits that India is a very strong side and notes that playing in their conditions is always challenging. Adds that while it might seem like the boundaries were pushed back a bit for bowlers, he says that the cricket remained entertaining. Santner explains that the main objective for New Zealand was to challenge themselves and gauge where they stand. He highlights that being consistently put under pressure, both for bowlers and batters, provides important lessons. Although the results did not go their way, he feels there were plenty of takeaways from every game as the team now shifts focus to the World Cup. One key insight for the bowling unit, he notes, is the importance of limiting damage against quality batters on flat pitches. Adds that the goal is to turn potentially expensive overs into ones that concede 15 or 16 runs instead of going over 20s. Mentions that in modern T20 cricket, where totals like 230 can still be chased, managing these key moments is crucial. Overall, Santner describes the series as a significant learning experience that he hopes will put New Zealand in a stronger position heading into the World Cup.

... THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY ...

India's Arshdeep Singh is up for a quick chat - He says that it's a great learning for him to stay in the present and not worry too much about what happened in the first spell. Cheekily says that it is just for cameras that he looks calm, but he feels the pressure as well. Adds that lately he has been going for some runs and needs to have a chat with Morne Morkel to improve in that aspect. Mentions that he enjoyed some of the shots that Finn played, but could have done some better planning. Arshdeep tells that they knew that the Kiwis would come hard at them, and the talk in the huddle was about body language, to give their all and try and restrict them under 180. Further adds that they did score many runs, but he is happy to be on the winning side. Admits that the perfect game hasn't come yet, where everything clicks, but it is as good as it can come in the upcoming World Cup.

Sixes galore in Thiruvananthapuram - The match was defined by insane power hitting, with a total of 36 sixes struck across both innings. Ishan Kishan led the charge, hammering 10 of them in his 103, with 84 runs coming through fours and sixes. It was a statement knock at the right time, offering a strong case for himself just a week before the mega event. Finn Allen, meanwhile, carried his BBL form into a completely different and challenging setting, adapting swiftly and continuing his rich vein of form and runs.

From expensive to exceptional - India's recovery - In chases of this magnitude, the bowling side needs just one opening. India found theirs through Axar Patel when he fished out Allen and finished off with a three-for. Arshdeep Singh, after conceding 40 runs in his first two overs, roared back with an inspirational spell that ripped the heart out of the chase. He finished with a stunning five-wicket haul, giving away just 11 runs in his final two overs. The impact was immediate and brutal as New Zealand collapsed from 117 for 1 to 137 for 5 in a blink. From there, there were a few blips from the lower order, but they too, knew their fate was dead and buried.

New Zealand refused to concede - If India’s initial assault was ruthless, New Zealand’s reply was even more ferocious in nature. In pursuit of 272, they lost Seifert in the very first over, mirroring India’s early setback with Samson early in the Powerplay, but it barely slowed them down. The Kiwis stormed to 79 for 1 in the Powerplay, comfortably eclipsing India, with Finn Allen leading the charge through an effortless half-century off just 22 balls. Alongside Rachin Ravindra, Allen stitched together a blazing 100-run partnership that put the chase firmly on track.

India unleashed a batting avalanche - India rolled the dice by batting first on a tacky surface, but the move looked risky early as Sanju Samson fell yet again for a single-digit score. Abhishek Sharma refused to let the innings stall, counter-attacking with intent and setting the stage for Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav to take over. That, however, was only the warm-up. What followed was a full-blown run feast. Kishan and SKY stitched together a brutal 137-run stand, turning the ground into a target range. Every corner, you name it, was found and attacked, every length punished. SKY cruised to his fifty, while Kishan went the distance with a commanding century. Hardik Pandya ensured the foot stayed on the pedal, smashing a breezy 42 off just 17 balls as India stormed to a towering 271. Such was the assault that the bowlers were reduced to mere spectators, watching the scoreboard spiral out of control.

A batter's paradise, a bowler's nightmare - It was one of those games where no bowler wanted the ball. Runs flowed freely, boundaries rained down, and sixes flew into the stands at will. New Zealand or India, it didn’t matter who was batting, the pitch offered a lot of generosity for the ones with the bat. Even a world-class operator like Jasprit Bumrah found no relief, as the surface showed absolutely no mercy to anyone with the ball in hand.

OUT! TAKEN! Rinku Singh wraps things up with a wicket! He drags his length back again, outside off. Ish Sodhi has to reach out for it again but only manages to slice it off the outer half of the bat. It lobs up in the air, and Arshdeep Singh at cover-point takes a dolly. He puts the ball in his pocket as he has taken a fifer here. INDIA WIN BY 46 RUNS!

Flatter, short and outside off, Ish Sodhi reaches out but shanks it off the toe-end towards point.

SIX! Just over! Tossed up, full and on middle, Ish Sodhi clears his front leg away and launches it down the ground. Abhishek Sharma at long on thinks he is the game, moves to his right but only watches it sail over his head for a biggie.

Short and around off, Jacob Duffy swats it to long off for a single.

Looped up, full and on middle, Ish Sodhi uses his feet and slogs it to deep mid-wicket for a brace.

Floated, full and on off, Jacob Duffy backs away and lofts it to long off for one.

A shout for LBW, but turned down! However, SKY takes the review here. Flatter, shortish and on middle and leg, Ish Sodhi looks to heave it across the line but misses and gets hit on the pads. Ball Tracking shows that it is missing the leg stump. The on-field calls remains.

SIX! That is a shot a top-order batter will be proud of! Tossed up, full and on middle, Ish Sodhi skips down the track, lofts it with a straight bat over the bowler's head for a biggie.

Superb effort in the deep! Short and around off, Ish Sodhi carves it away over extra cover. Rinku Singh from deep point covers a lot of ground to his right and dives to push the ball back inside just in time. He saves two runs for his side. Even with the match already in the bag, he is still putting his all on the field.

Flighted, full and on middle, Ish Sodhi drags it wide of long on for a couple of runs.

Who will bowl the penultimate over? Surprise, surprise. Abhishek Sharma to roll his arm over.

FOUR! Jasprit Bumrah goes for 58 in his 4 overs! He bowls this in the blockhole, angling into leg. Jacob Duffy backs away to dig it out, but gets it from the toe-end of the bat. The bounce takes it over Ishan Kishan as it races to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Off cutter, short and outside off, Sodhi dabs it to the right of short third for a single. 200 up for New Zealand.

Slow again, on top of middle. Jacob heaves it to deep square leg for a single.

Short and slow, outside off, Jacob Duffy pulls it off the top edge. But the ball lands safely in the vast acreage of deep mid-wicket. Two taken.

Hard length and around off, Ish Sodhi punches it through cover-point for one.

FOUR! Oh..that is an outrageous shot! Jasprit Bumrah nails the yorker, outside off. Ish Sodhi somehow gets his bat down, opens the face and squeezes it out to the third man fence for a boundary. Bumrah can only smile.

Jacob Duffy is the last man in for New Zealand. Jasprit Bumrah (3-0-45-0) is back on for his final over. Didn't have a promising evening by his standards. Could he cap it off with a wicket?

OUT! TIMBER! Number nine goes now now. Axar Patel gives this one some more flight, full and on middle, Lockie Ferguson dances down the track to slog it across the line but misses a straight one as it goes through to rattle the stumps. India need just one wicket to win now.