Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 31 (ANI): A scintillating, sixes-filled century by Ishan Kishan and his 137-run partnership with skipper Suryakumar Yadav powered India to 271/5 in the fifth and final T20I of the series against New Zealand at Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. After Sanju Samson failed to make his mark in his home state, Ishan (103 in 43 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes), skipper Surya (63 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and six sixes) and Hardik Pandya (42 in 17 balls, with a four and four sixes) played entertaining knocks to take India to a massive total. After India opted to bat first after winning the toss, India got off to a fine start with Abhishek Sharma’s lofted drive through extra cover sailing for a six on the third
ball of the inning and ended the over bowled by Jacob Duffy with two successive fours, one a late shot over slip cordon and the other over the off-side. Sanju Samson got some lucky runs, with an edge going for a boundary as no fielders were stationed at that side on the slip, and Abhishek ended the over by whipping the delivery over long-on for a six. Samson soon ran out of luck as a thick edge flew into the hands of Bevon Jacobs at deep backward point, he was gone for six runs in six balls, ending his series with just 46 runs in five matches. India was 31/1 in 2.5 overs. The fifth over was an eventful one as Ishan’s bottom hand came off the handle while smashing the ball for four over deep mid-wicket and lofted it over extra cover on the next ball for a six. However, Lockie got his revenge and the big pole of Abhishek, who tried to dance down the pitch, and the ball crashed into his stumps. Abhishek was gone for 16-ball 30, with four boundaries and two sixes. India was 48/2 in five overs. India reached the 50-run mark in 5.4 overs with a four by skipper Suryakumar through extra-cover and ended the powerplay at 54/2 in six overs. Suryakumar and Ishan continued to find singles and got a six each in the coming overs. Surya continued to tick the scoreboard, first smashing a long hop by Ish Sodhi for four in the ninth over and then a straight six against Mitchell Santner in the ninth over. In the same over, Ishan got a four and six later on, bringing up India’s 100-run mark in 9.5 overs. At the end of 10 overs, India was 102/2, with Suryakumar (27*) and Ishan (39*) unbeaten and having made a 54-run stand in just 30 balls. It was an absolute massacre against Ish Sodhi in the 12th over as Ishan launched him for 4,4,4,6,4,6, collecting 29 runs in his over with a wide as extra. He reached his second fifty of the series in 28 balls, with three fours and four sixes as Team India reached 141 runs in just 12 overs. The century stand came in just 44 balls. The 13th over by Duffy saw Surya for a four over mid-on and then two back-to-back sixes, reaching his third fifty of the series in just 26 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes. Surya ended the over with a flick for six, looting 23 runs in total. However, he fell to Santner courtesy a fine stumping from Tim Seifert for a 30-ball 63, with four boundaries and six sixes. The partnership of 137 runs for the third wicket was undone, and India was 185/3 in 14.3 overs. India reached the 200-run mark in 15.4 overs. In the 17th over by Santner, Hardik Pandya collected a four and six before Ishan ended the over with back-to-back maximums, reaching his maiden T20I century in just 42 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes. Duffy got the prized wicket of Ishan Kishan, with Glenn Phillips taking a catch to remove him for 43-ball 103. India was 233/4 in 17.3 overs. With Rinku Singh and Hardik going strong, India brought the 250-run mark in 19 overs. Kyle Jamieson ended Hardik’s cameo of 42 runs in 17 balls, with a four and seven sixes. India was 261/5 in 19.2 overs. The Indian team ended their innings at 271/5, with Rinku Singh (8*) and Shivam Dube (7*) unbeaten. Lockie Ferguson (2/41) was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, while Jacob Duffy (1/53), Kyle Jamieson (1/59) and Mitchell Santner (1/60) leaked runs. (ANI)
