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In a display of sheer white-ball dominance, Ishan Kishan transformed the 5th T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium into a personal highlight reel, shattering New Zealand’s spirits with a maiden T20I century that was as surgical as it was brutal.

New Zealand left reeling as Ishan Kishan smashes his maiden T20I century

Returning to the XI after a brief injury layoff, the left-hander unleashed absolute mayhem, reaching his 100 in just 42 deliveries, the fastest-ever T20I ton by an Indian against the Black Caps. Kishan’s innings of 103 off 43 balls was a masterclass in modern-day power hitting, featuring 10 towering sixes that cleared the boundaries with ease, including an 12th over from Ish Sodhi that went for 29 runs. He was particularly severe on the spin of Sodhi and the pace of Kyle Jamiesonat one point striking three consecutive sixes to bring the Thiruvananthapuram crowd to its feet.

This historic knock makes Kishan only the second Indian, after Rohit Sharmato achieve the rare ‘Double’ of having both an ODI double-century and a T20I hundred to his name. By maintaining a staggering strike rate of 239.53, Kishan didn’t just play a match-defining innings; he effectively hammered down his claim as India’s first-choice opener for the 2026 World Cup.

The 137-run blitz: Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav dismantled the Kiwis in 5th T20I

The backbone of India’s mammoth total was a devastating 137-run partnership for the third wicket, where Kishan found the perfect tactical foil in captain Suryakumar Yadav. Joining forces at a precarious 48/2 after the early exit of Sanju Samsonthe duo decimated Mitchell Santner’s bowling plans through a mix of calculated risks and audacious strokeplay. While Suryakumar played the anchor-aggressor with a rapid 63 off 30 balls, his presence allowed Kishan to go into ‘full-throttle’ mode from the other end.

Their chemistry was evident as they manipulated the field with ease, turning even good-length deliveries into boundary opportunities. The partnership, which came at a blistering rate of over 14 runs per over, not only pushed India past the 200-mark in record time but also highlighted the immense depth of a middle order that was further bolstered by Hardik Pandya’s late cameo.

Ishan found the perfect ally in captain Suryakumar Yadav, who played a blistering supporting role with 63 off 30 balls. The duo shared a devastating 137-run partnership for the third wicket, taking India from a shaky 48/2 to a position of absolute dominance. The carnage was then completed by Hardik Pandya, whose 17-ball 42 ensured that New Zealand’s bowlers, most notably Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamiesonfinished with individual economies well over 13.

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