India beat New Zealand by 168 runs in yesterday’s (February 1) T20I match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The margin of victory is the biggest in a T20I game between two Full Member nations.
The Men in Blue won the toss and decided to bat first in the decider. India lost Ishan Kishan cheaply again as he was trapped lbw by Michael Bracewell for one. However, Shubman Gill registered his maiden T20I ton to lift the hosts to an imposing total of 234/4. In response, New Zealand’s innings lasted for a mere 12.1 overs as they were bundled out for 66.
Following his exploits in the ODIs, Gill’s bat was silent in the first two T20Is against the Kiwis. However, he rediscovered his silken touch with the willow, hitting an unbeaten 126 off only 63 balls. The elegant opener struck 12 fours and seven sixes in his dominant innings, becoming only the fifth Indian batter to score a hundred in all three formats.
The 23-year-old featured in a scintillating second-wicket stand of 80 with Rahul Tripathi (44 off 22 balls). The latter struck four fours and three sixes to give India the much-needed momentum in the powerplay after Kishan’s early exit.
In the second half of the Indian innings, Gill and skipper Hardik Pandya (30 off 17) added 103 for the fourth wicket as the hosts finished with a massive score. By remaining unbeaten on 126, Gill also broke Virat Kohli’s record (122*) for the highest individual score by an Indian batter in T20Is.
New Zealand stumbled in chase in a rather embarrassing fashion. Suryakumar Yadav pulled off two brilliant leaping catches at slip off Pandya’s bowling to dismiss Finn Allen (three) and Glenn Phillips (two). In between, Arshdeep Singh dismissed Devon Conway (one) and Mark Chapman (0) in one over – the second of New Zealand’s innings.
When Umran Malik knocked over Michael Bracewell for eight, the Kiwis had lost half their side for 21. Pandya and Shivam Mavi ran through the lower order without much trouble. The winning moment for Team India came when Daryl Mitchell (35) was caught in the deep off Umran’s bowling.
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Gill played a scintillating knock. After getting his eye in during the first half of his innings, he went absolutely berserk in the second.
Tripathi played a crucial hand with the willow, while Pandya stood out with the ball, claiming 4/16.
In-form Team India opener Gill was named Player of the Match for his stupendous hundred.
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