Ishan helps India win

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 1: India capped off their home T20I series against New Zealand with a clinical 46-run demolition in the decisive fifth match, clinching a resounding 4-1 victory. Ishan Kishan’s explosive century and Arshdeep Singh’s career-best five-wicket haul lit up the Greenfield International Stadium, underscoring India’s dominance in white-ball cricket ahead of a packed international calendar.Winning the toss and opting to bat first under partly cloudy skies, India unleashed batting fireworks to post a mammoth 271/5 – their highest T20I total on home soil and third-highest overall. Opener Ishan Kishan set the tone with a masterful 103 off 52 balls, blending silken drives with brutal power-hitting. His knock featured 10 fours and 6 sixes, including a memorable straight six off Michael Bracewell that sailed into the stands. Kishan, dropped on 20, made New Zealand pay dearly, reaching his ton with a lofted cover drive that ignited the crowd.Captain Suryakumar Yadav complemented the assault with a brisk 63 off 28 balls, laced with his signature scoops and ramps. The duo’s 140-run stand for the second wicket dismantled New Zealand’s bowling, leaving them shell-shocked. Hardik Pandya then unleashed late fireworks, smashing 42 off 14 balls with four sixes, pushing India past 250. All-rounder Axar Patel chipped in with 25 off 10, ensuring momentum never dipped. New Zealand’s bowlers toiled without joy – Trent Boult claimed 2/48, but the rest leaked runs at over 12 an over.Defending 272, India’s bowlers turned the screw early. Finn Allen’s fiery 80 off 42 balls (8 fours, 5 sixes) gave New Zealand a fighting start, racing to 100/1 in the powerplay. But Arshdeep Singh sparked a collapse with a dream spell of 5/28 from four overs – his best T20I figures. The left-armer dismissed Allen with a yorker, trapped Rachin Ravindra lbw, and cleaned up Tim Seifert and Jimmy Neesham with precise variations. “Arshdeep’s swing and cutters were unplayable under lights,” noted commentator Harsha Bhogle post-match