In the fifth T20I against New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram, Ishan Kishan made a statement with his maiden T20I century, helping India post 272 and secure a 46-run win to take the series 4–1. Kishan also kept wickets in place of Sanju Samson, a move India captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed was planned before the series.
Kishan’s explosive form, alongside contributions from Suryakumar, Abhishek Sharma, and Hardik Pandya, has positioned India as strong contenders for the T20 World Cup 2026, while raising confidence in their flexible wicketkeeping strategy.
