Thiruvananthapuram, January 31, 2026 — A breathtaking century from Ishan Kishan propelled India to a commanding 46-run victory over New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I, sealing the high-scoring series 4-1 in emphatic fashion.
Batting first on a surface that offered little respite to bowlers, India piled up a mammoth 271, driven by Kishan’s scintillating 103 off just 43 balls. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 10 sixes, with 84 of his runs coming in boundaries, producing a statement knock just days before the ICC T20 World Cup. After Sanju Samson fell early, Abhishek Sharma counter-attacked before Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav took complete control. The duo stitched together a brutal 137-run partnership, with Yadav bringing up a fluent fifty. Hardik Pandya added the finishing touches with a rapid 42 off 17 balls.
In reply, New Zealand showed admirable fight despite losing Tim Seifert early. Finn Allen continued his rich form, racing to a 22-ball half-century and adding a blistering 100-run stand with Rachin Ravindra as the visitors surged to 79 for 1 in the powerplay. However, India clawed their way back through Axar Patel and a sensational spell from Arshdeep Singh. After an expensive start, Arshdeep finished with a five-wicket haul, conceding just 11 runs in his final two overs as New Zealand collapsed from 117 for 1 to 137 for 5.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav was named Player of the Series for being the leading run-scorer, while Kishan took home Player of the Match. Both teams now shift focus to their World Cup preparations, with India carrying strong momentum into the global tournament.