Ishan Kishan Slams Explosive Century as India Beat New Zealand in Final T20I

India defeated New Zealand by 46 runs to win the T20I series by 4-1. An explosive century by Ishan Kishan powered India to a big total before Arshdeep Singh dismantled the New Zealand batting with a brilliant five-wicket haul. This convincing performance in the final T20I has given India plenty of confidence ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Batting first, India got off to a great start despite losing Sanju Samson early. Both Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan played positively to negate the attack of New Zealand, as the pitch assisted them in playing aggressive shots. Abhishek Sharma was then dismissed by Lockie Ferguson in the 5th over, but India stayed on track even after his wicket.

The batting onslaught by Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav stunned the Kiwis, as both players consistently smashed big boundaries. Ishan then scored a superlative century off just 43 balls, showcasing his firepower in T20 cricket.

The innings of Suryakumar Yadav was equally impressive, as he struck 63 off 30 balls with the help of 4 fours and 6 sixes. A late order cameo by Hardik Pandya then provided more impetus to India, as they scored a huge total of 271 in the first innings.

When New Zealand came out to bat, they started the chase confidently as Finn Allen took the charge to hit quick boundaries. He made a 100-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra to keep the chase on track, before Axar Patel dismissed him on 80 runs.

The middle order of New Zealand then failed to put up any fight, as India kept taking wickets to gain an edge in the match. Arshdeep Singh remained the key bowler, as he bowled beautifully to dismantle the Kiwi middle order cheaply.

As a result, India eventually dismissed New Zealand to 225 runs, securing a big 46-run victory in the final match. They won the T20I series by 4-1, showcasing their complete preparedness for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.