Ishan Kishan's Century, Arshdeep fifer help India Beat New Zealand by 45 runs in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 31: In a contest that redefined aggressive batting, India concluded their T20I series against New Zealand with a resounding 46-run victory at the Greenfield International Stadium

on Saturday (January 31). The Suryakumar Yadav-led side wrapped up the series 4-1, heading into the T20 World Cup 2026 on a confident note.

The hosts, having already secured the series, displayed ruthless intent to finish with a 4-1 margin. Powered by Ishan Kishan's blistering maiden T20I century and a five-wicket haul from Arshdeep Singh, India successfully defended a mammoth total of 271, despite a spirited counter-attack from the visitors.

Kishan and SKY Light Up the Greenfield

After winning the toss and opting to bat, India wasted no time in dismantling the Kiwi attack. Although opener Sanju Samson struggled to find his rhythm on his home ground, departing early for just 6 runs, the rest of the lineup was in punishing form. Abhishek Sharma provided the initial spark with a quickfire 30 off 16 balls, but it was Ishan Kishan who stole the show and presenting a strong contention for the a spot in the World Cup Playing 11.

Kishan, displaying a wide array of strokes, raced to his maiden T20I century off just 42 balls. His innings of 103 (43 balls) was studded with 10 towering sixes and six boundaries, leaving the New Zealand bowlers with no margin for error.

He found an able partner in skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who continued his rich vein of form with a fluent 63 off 30 deliveries. The duo's partnership laid the foundation for a colossal total. Late fireworks from Hardik Pandya (42 off 17) and Shivam Dube propelled India to 271/5, their highest T20I total against New Zealand and the third-highest in their history. Lockie Ferguson was the only bowler to command some respect, picking up 2 for 41 amidst the carnage.

Finn Allen Threatens the Impossible

Chasing a daunting target of 272, New Zealand needed a miraculous start, and Finn Allen provided exactly that. The opener launched a savage assault on the Indian pacers, racing to a half-century and keeping the required run rate within sight during the Powerplay. Allen's 80 off 38 balls, featuring eight fours and six sixes, briefly silenced the capacity crowd and threatened to take the game away from India.

However, the introduction of spin and the return of Arshdeep Singh turned the tide. Axar Patel provided the crucial breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Allen, which triggered a collapse in the middle order. While Rachin Ravindra (30) and Glenn Phillips tried to maintain the momentum, the pressure of the scoreboard eventually told.

Arshdeep's Fifer Seals the Deal

Arshdeep Singh, despite being expensive early on, returned to wreak havoc in the death overs. His ability to pick up wickets at crucial intervals proved decisive as he finished with figures of 5 for 51. The left-arm pacer removed key batters including Ravindra and Mitchell Santner in the same over, effectively ending New Zealand's resistance. Axar Patel starred with the ball for the Men in Blue as the left-arm spinner bagged a three-for (3/33) from his quota of 4 overs.

Varun Chakaravarthy and Rinku Singh also picked up a wicket each while Jasprit Bumrah had a forgettable outing with the ball as the premier pacer remained wicketless from his 4 overs and leaked 58 runs at more than 14 runs per over.

The visitors were eventually bowled out for 225 in 19.4 overs, falling 46 runs short in a match that saw nearly 500 runs scored.

The victory serves as a massive confidence booster for the Men in Blue as they prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup, showcasing their depth in both batting firepower and wicket-taking ability.

Brief scores: India 271/5 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 103, Suryakumar Yadav 63, Hardik Pandya 42; Lockie Ferguson 2/41) beat New Zealand 225 in 19.4 overs (Finn Allen 80, Rachin Ravindra 30; Arshdeep Singh 5/51, Axar Patel 3/35) by 46 runs.