Picture Credit : BCCi
India won the fifth match of the T20I series against New Zealand by 46 runs to win the series 4-1. In the fifth match at Thiruvananthapuram, India were batting first and lost Sanju Samson for six as they lost the first wicket on 31. He continued his poor form as he departed for six. Abhishek Sharma continued his good form scoring 30 runs of 16 balls before getting dismissed. India were 48/2 at the end of 5 overs.
Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav put up a masterclass as they stitched a partnership of 137. Kishan started cautiously scoring 18 runs of his first 16 balls but he soon changed gears and got going. Ishan Kishan reached his half-century of just 28 balls. He got to the landmark with a boundary against Ish Sodhi.
In this innings he was particularly brutal against the leg-spinner. In the 12th over of the match Ishan Kishan smashed 28 runs against Ish Sodhi in a single over which included 4 fours and two sixes. Ishan scored six fours and ten sixes on his way to a century. He brought up his milestone in 42 balls as he smashed a six to Santner to bring it up. Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed by Mitch Santner for 63 runs of just 30 balls. Ishan Kishan also was soon dismissed for 103. Hardik Pandya smashed 42 runs of 17 balls and India got a terrific finish as they managed to score 271/5 in the first innings. It was a terrific effort on an excellent surface.
Chasing such a big target, New Zealand got off to the perfect start scoring 17 runs in the first over but lost the wicket of Seifert. Finn Allen played a brutal knock and Ravindra supported him as New Zealand made a good fist of the chase. They were 117/1 in the ninth over when Finn Allen was dismissed for 80 runs of just 38 balls. Ravindra also fell for 30 runs of 17 balls.
Then a mini collapse followed as Phillips and Santner also departed. New Zealand went from 131/2 to 137/5 in a matter of few overs. It was always a tough task from there and in the end New Zealand were all out for 225 and lost the match by 46 runs. India sealed the series 4-1.
