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IND vs NZ 5th T20I: The fifth and final match of the T20 series between India and New Zealand will be played at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, but this match will not be just formal. Team India has taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, yet this match has become very special for Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. His eyes are now on a record which can include him in the special club of Indian T20 history.

Big target even after series win

The Indian team has given a balanced performance and won the series 3-1, but the personal form of captain Surya has been the big story of this tour. After getting out cheaply in the opening match, he made a brilliant comeback and regained his momentum by scoring two consecutive half-centuries. He also remains the top run-scorer of the series by scoring 179 runs in four matches. After Surya, India’s opener Abhishek Sharma (152) has scored the most runs and remained at third position till the fourth T20. Whereas in the series so far, Glenn Phillips is at second position for Kiwis by scoring 169 runs.

Historic milestone of 3000 runs

Suryakumar stands at 2,967 runs in international cricket after playing four T20s in the current series. That means, if he scores 33 runs in Thiruvananthapuram, he will complete 3000 runs. By doing this, he will become only the third batsman from India to achieve this feat. Before him, this feat has been done by former Indian captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Surya has scored these runs in 97 innings of 103 matches so far. If he completes 3000 runs in the next innings itself, he can reach joint fifth place in the list of fastest batsmen to score 3000 T20I runs, where he will be equal to Aaron Finch of Australia.

Pakistan’s dominance in top 5

The record of scoring the fastest 3000 runs is in the name of Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan, who reached this milestone in 79 innings. After this come Babar Azam and Virat Kohli respectively. UAE’s Muhammad Waseem is at fourth place in this list.

Strong claim as captain too

Surya has made an impact not only in batting but also in captaincy. Under his leadership, Team India has continued the winning streak of bilateral series for the 11th consecutive time. Let us tell you that after winning the World Cup 2024, Rohit Sharma had announced his retirement from T20, after which the captaincy of the team was handed over to Suryakumar Yadav. Under the captaincy of Surya, Team India won the trophy by defeating Pakistan in the final of T20 Asia Cup 2025. This rhythm will further strengthen the team’s confidence before the World Cup 2026.

Now all eyes are on Thiruvananthapuram, where a big question is in the air – will Suryakumar Yadav be able to create history with the bat? The match to be held on Saturday, January 31, will not only be the last match of the series, but can also witness an important record in Surya’s career. For which cricket fans are excited.