Rinku Singh gets the wicket of Ish Sodhi, and that seals a 46‑run win for India. The hosts take the series 4–1 against New Zealand! India continue their terrific form in T20I cricket, and this win will only boost their confidence as they head into the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins in less than a week’s time.

Ish Sodhi missed his pull shot on the bowling of Abhishek Sharma and got hit on the pad. Umpire was unconvinced over an LBW appeal. India decided to take it upstairs and lost the review.

NZ 215-9 (18.4)

OUT! Axar Patel ends his spell with a third wicket. He has cleaned up Lockie Ferguson. The spinner finishes his quota of four overs with figures of 3 for 33. Superb bowling under these truly batting‑friendly conditions!

Lockie Ferguson b Axar 3(4)

NZ 191-9 (17)

Arshdeep Singh dismissed Daryl Mitchell to complete his maiden five‑wicket haul in T20I cricket. The Kiwi batter attempted a reverse scoop but ended up finding a thick outside edge that crashed onto the stumps.

Mitchell b Arshdeep Singh 26(12)

NZ 181-8 (16)

A slower one helps Arshdeep Singh claim his fourth wicket. It was bowled around off‑stump, and Kyle Jamieson ended up getting an under‑edge onto the stumps as he tried to pull it hard towards the leg side.

Kyle Jamieson b Arshdeep Singh 9(5) 

NZ 79-7 (15.3)

A googly from Varun Chakravarthy, and it has cleaned up Bevon Jacobs! The Kiwi batter couldn’t pick the delivery and ended up getting dismissed in poor fashion. Jacobs threw his bat half‑heartedly at the ball after being outfoxed by the turn.

Bevon Jacobs b Varun Chakaravarthy 7(11)

NZ 166-6 (14.1)

Jasprit Bumrah continues to leak runs. He conceded 22 in this over. Daryl Mitchell slammed the pacer for two sixes and a four, while Bevon Jacobs also joined the party with a four. New Zealand need 106 runs from 36 balls.

NZ 166-5 (14)

Arshdeep Singh also claimed the wicket of Mitchell Santner on the third ball of the over. He conceded just one run and picked up two wickets. India are back in command with the asking rate now touching 16.75.

NZ 138-5 (12)

OUT! Another New Zealand wicket goes down! Arshdeep Singh has dismissed Rachin Ravindra. It was a knuckle ball banged into the surface. Ravindra went for a pull shot and ended up top‑edging it to the fielder at deep square‑leg.

 Ravindra c Axar b Arshdeep Singh 30(17)

NZ 137-4 (11.1)

Glenn Phillips is GONE! That is the second wicket for Axar Patel. Phillips miscued it high in the air, and Rinku Singh took the catch comfortably at long‑on. New Zealand are three down.

Phillips c Rinku Singh b Axar 7(6) 

NZ 131-3 (10.2)

Jasprit Bumrah conceded 14 runs in his second over. Rachin Ravindra welcomed the pacer with a six, while Glenn Phillips later hit a four. New Zealand need 141 runs from 60 balls. They are still in this chase, fighting extremely hard.

NZ 131-2 (10)

OUT! Finn Allen has miscued this one to the man at long‑on. An entertaining and fighting knock from the Kiwi star comes to an end. Twelve runs came off this over from Axar, but he picked up an all‑important wicket to push New Zealand on the back foot.

Finn Allen c Rinku Singh b Axar 80(38)

NZ 123-2 (9.1)

New Zealand continue to show intent, thanks to Finn Allen's fiery knock. He has scored 73 off just 33 balls. Seventeen runs came off the over from Varun Chakravarthy. New Zealand need 167 runs from 72 balls.

NZ 105-1 (8)

Axar Patel started with a nine‑run over! Finn Allen smashed the spinner for a six over long‑off on the first ball, but Axar made a good recovery after that. He conceded just three singles in the remaining five deliveries.

NZ 88-1 (7)

Finn Allen scored his fifty in just 22 balls, getting there with a four off Varun Chakravarthy. A total of 13 runs came off the over, as Allen also smashed the Indian spinner for a six later in the over. New Zealand are going well in this chase; they need 193 runs from 84 balls.

NZ 79-1 (6)

Jasprit Bumrah was brought into the attack, and he bowled really well in the over. Despite that, Finn Allen, who is in red‑hot form, smashed the pacer for a six down the ground. Ten runs came off the over.

NZ 66-1(5)

4, 4, 6, 4, 4 — Arshdeep Singh was taken apart in his second over. Finn Allen did the damage, smashing the India pacer with ease. This is a superb return for the New Zealand opener, who was earlier busy with his assignment for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. Twenty‑three runs came off Arshdeep’s over.

NZ 46-1 (3)

Finn Allen smashed Hardik Pandya for a six off the first delivery of the over. The ball then had to be changed by the umpires, with the replacement giving Hardik plenty of assistance. He followed the six by delivering five dot balls to Finn Allen.

NZ 23-1 (2)

OUT! Arshdeep Singh conceded 17 runs in his first over but ended it with the wicket of Tim Seifert. The Kiwi batter handed an easy catch to Hardik Pandya at mid-wicket.

Seifert c Hardik Pandya b Arshdeep Singh 5(3)

It is worth mentioning that Ishan Kishan has donned the wicketkeeping gloves for India, with Sanju Samson being used as a fielder instead. Samson has been struggling for form, while Kishan, who is also a wicketkeeper, has been enjoying a sensational run upon his return to international cricket. Is the message clear from Team India? Are they going ahead with Kishan in the T20 World Cup's playing XI?

Arshdeep Singh bowled a good‑length delivery that took the outside edge of Tim Seifert's bat and ran through the gap between point and short third for a four. New Zealand's chase is underway.

Host captain Suryakumar Yadav wanted to test his side, and therefore opted to bat first. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson couldn’t convert their starts into big knocks, but Ishan Kishan duly impressed one and all. India’s innings was dominated by the Kishan show as the southpaw smashed his maiden T20I ton (103 off 43). SKY chipped in with a fiery 63 off 30, while Hardik Pandya added a blistering 42 off 17.

22 runs came off the final over from Kyle Jamieson. This is absolute carnage from India as they have posted a mammoth total of 271 for 5 in 20 overs against New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I.

IND 271-5 (20)

Hardik Pandya is out after scoring 42 off 17 balls. He smashed Kyle Jamieson for a six on the first ball, but loses his wicket on the following one. This was a slower short ball from the Kiwi pacer as Hardik miscues it to the fielder at deep mid‑wicket.

Hardik Pandya c Bevon Jacobs b Jamieson 42(17)

IND 261-5 (19.2)

14 came off the Lockie Ferguson over. Hardik Pandya smashed a six while Rinku Singh hit a four in it. India have already reached the mark of 250. They still have one over remaining in this innings. How far can the hosts go? 260 or even 270?

IND 250-4 (19)

Ishan Kishan is GONE! Jacob Duffy bowled a short ball outside off‑stump and the Indian southpaw has found the man at deep mid‑wicket. "This is an innings to savour, this is an innings to see on loop," said Sunil Gavaskar on-air as Kishan walked back to the dug-out amid a huge round of applause from the crowd.

Ishan Kishan c Phillips b Jacob Duffy 103(43)

IND 233-4 (17.3)

He gets there! Ishan Kishan has slammed his maiden T20I fifty in just 42 balls. This has been a truly sensational knock from a player, who was picked as back-up in the 15-member squad, but that must not be the case now.

13 runs came off this over from Kyle Jamieson. On the third ball of the over, Glenn Phillips dropped the catch of Ishan Kishan at deep mid‑wicket. It was a sitter but Phillips, one of world’s best fielders, made a mess of it. The ball burst through his hands and went over the rope for a six.

IND 201-3 (16)

Big breakthrough for New Zealand! They have dismissed Suryakumar Yadav to break this 137‑run partnership for the third wicket. Brave bowling from Mitchell Santner as he gave the ball flight and beat SKY. Wicketkeeper Tim Seifert did the rest.

Suryakumar Yadav st Seifert b Santner 63(30)

IND 185-3 (14.3)

Two consecutive sixes from Suryakumar Yadav and he scores his fifty in only 26 balls. The India T20I captain slammed both the biggies over long‑on. This is his third fifty in four innings. The T20I star is back to form!

IND 172-2 (13.4)

India crossed the 100‑run mark in the 10th over, and they took roughly three overs to go past 150, courtesy Ishan Kishan's sensational hitting. The player was included in India's 15‑member T20 World Cup squad as a back‑up wicketkeeper, but the team management must be having different view about him after this series.

IND 155-2 (13)

This is sensational piece of batting from Ishan Kishan! He scored his fifty in 28 balls on the first delivery of the over, and in no time, reached 75 off 33, smashing Ish Sodhi for a total of four fours and two sixes. 29 came off the over. "Murderous form," said Sunil Gavaskar on-air.

IND 141-2 (12)

A brilliant piece of fielding from Lockie Ferguson saved five runs for New Zealand, but India still managed to fetch 10 from the Kyle Jamieson over. Ishan Kishan slammed the pacer for a massive six over deep backward square leg on the fifth ball.

IND 112-2 (11)

That turned out to be an extremely expensive over from New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. 20 came off it! Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan are in no mood to spare now. While SKY slammed a six on the second ball of the over, Kishan later hit a four and a six.

IND 102-2 (10)

FOUR! A short ball from Ish Sodhi and Suryakumar Yadav has slammed it away for a boundary through the gap between long-on and deep mid-wicket fielders. Not a good over for Sodhi this is. He has leaked 13 in it. 

IND 82-2 (9)

This is not a way to welcome a star spinner! Ish Sodhi pitched it up and got slammed by Ishan Kishan for a big six over long‑on. That went for 92 metres. Kishan played the bowler cautiously last time, but not in his second over.

IND 75-2 (8.1)

This is a much‑needed boundary from the India captain! Part‑time bowler Glenn Phillips was handed the ball and nearly bowled a good over, conceding only four singles in the first five deliveries. However, Suryakumar Yadav spoiled the spinner's effort with a big six on the final delivery.

IND 64-2 (7)

It has been a good comeback from New Zealand after leaking 29 in the first two overs. In the following four overs, they concede 25 runs and also send both the Indian openers back to the dug‑out.

IND 54-2 (6)

OUT! Abhishek Sharma has been cleaned up by Lockie Ferguson! The southpaw dances down the track for another big shot, but this ball from Ferguson, bowled at over 145 kmph, skids from a good length and rattles the stumps.

Abhishek Sharma b Ferguson 30(16)

IND 48-2 (5)

Abhishek Sharma slams a four down the ground off Jacob Duffy. Despite that boundary, only six come off the over. This is good bowling from the New Zealand pacer. India have two more overs left to capitalise in the powerplay.

IND 37-1 (4)

OUT! Sanju Samson's lean patch continues! He is gone for a run‑a‑ball 6. The right‑handed batter tries to go for a big one on the leg side but ends up edging it to the fielder at backward point instead. This has turned out to be a poor series for Samson. He scored 10, 6, 0, 24, and 6 across the five matches.

Samson c Bevon Jacobs b Ferguson 6(6)

IND 31-1 (2.5)

Abhishek Sharma continues his carnage. This was a fuller one in the slot, and the southpaw smashes it over the mid‑on fielder for a biggie. Fifteen came off this over from Kyle Jamieson.

IND 29-0 (2)

A stunning first over this is for India! Abhishek Sharma, as always, starts off with a bang! He smashes Jacob Duffy for a six and two fours. India fetches a total of 14 off the over.

Abhishek Sharma takes the strike, Sanju Samson is at the other end. Jacob Duffy is ready with the new ball. Here we go... The Kiwi pacer starts with a fuller ball angling away from Abhishek. The batter swings his bat but fails to connect.

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand (Playing XI): Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Bevon Jacobs, Mitchell Santner(c), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy

"It might not be too dewy tonight. We have got four changes - Allen in for Conway, Neesham is in for Chapman, KJ and Lockie are in. It is always nice to have them back. And it is an opportunity to see what they have got," said New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner.

"We are going to bat first. We were here last night, there was a lot of dew and we want to test ourselves. The groundsman says it is going to be true for 40 overs. Axar comes back, Ishan comes back and one more. Don't worry Thiruvananthapuram, Sanju Samson is playing tonight. We are waiting for him (Tilak). We have almost covered all the departments, every game we learn something and take it forward," said India captain Suryakumar Yadav.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bat first. He made his intensions clear during the toss that he wants to test his side with this brave call.

When it comes to Abhishek Sharma in this series, it has either been incredible or nothing at all. He has two half-centuries and two golden ducks so far. Here are his scores in the last four T20Is:

1st T20I: 84 (35)

2nd T20I: 0 (1)
3rd T20I: 68* (20)

4th T20I: 0 (1)

India's mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has not featured in the two previous T20Is, being rested. However, he could make his way back into the playing XI to get some final match practice in ahead of the T20 World Cup. 

Undoubtedly, there will be some pressure in the mind of Sanju Samson. The wicket-keeper batter has not had a series to remember, but he'll be desperate to strike at least a fifty ahead of the T20 World Cup. If he fails today, uncertainty over his spot is only bound to increase.

However, Samson is playing in his home state of Kerala today, and will no doubt have the entire crowd cheering him on!

Powerful opener Finn Allen is expected to appear for New Zealand today. The wicket-keeper batter, who was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for IPL 2026, joined up with the NZ squad after finishing as the top run-getter in the Big Bash League for Perth Scorchers. He is expected to replace Devon Conway in the playing XI.

Axar Patel hurt his bowling finger during the first T20I and sat out for three matches. He is most likely to make a return to India’s playing XI. A similar case could be with Ishan Kishan, who missed the fourth T20I due to a niggle. The southpaw could also get a run tonight.

India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy.

New Zealand Squad: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson.

Four matches are done, and we have come to the final one! The India vs New Zealand T20I series concludes tonight, with the fifth game set to be played at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. Hello everyone, and welcome to this live blog. Stay connected for the live score and updates of the contest.