IND vs NZ 5th T20I: Ishan Kishan Smashes Maiden Century

Ishan Kishan scored a century for India after more than two years as he smashed his maiden T20I hundred against New Zealand in the fifth and final match at Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The left-hander reached his hundred in just 42 balls, hitting 10 sixes and 6 fours in a brilliant knock.

Ishan Kishan ends two-year wait with maiden T20I hundred vs New Zealand

Kishan had missed out on a century in the second T20I, where he was dismissed for 76. This time, he made sure there were no mistakes. He got good support from captain Suryakumar Yadav, who also scored a half-century. Together, they helped India recover after early wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.

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Ishan Kishan Wicketkeeper-Batter

Ishan Kishan is an explosive Indian left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman known for fearless hitting, playing for India, Jharkhand domestically, and most recently, for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL after being their most expensive buy for TATA IPL 2025, with key achievements including captaining India U19, scoring the quickest ODI double-century (210* vs Bangladesh), and winning multiple IPL titles with Mumbai Indians, cementing his status as a power-hitter.

Kishan has played a key role in India’s strong performance in the series against New Zealand. He has often stepped up when early wickets have fallen and turned difficult situations into strong starts.

A COMEBACK FOR THE AGES 👊

Ishan kishan smashed a Maiden T20I Century in Thiruvananthapuram!👏🔥

📷 - BCCI.#indvsnz #ishankishan #teamindia #bharatarmy #coti🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/cGehwRuvwT

— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) January 31, 2026

In the third T20I at Guwahati, Sanju Samson was out on the very first ball. But Kishan took control of the innings and protected Abhishek Sharma by facing most of the deliveries. The pair reached 50 in just 19 balls, giving India a flying start.

A similar situation happened in the second T20I at Raipur when India was struggling at 6/2 while chasing 209. Instead of slowing down, Kishan attacked the bowlers. By the end of the powerplay, he had scored 56 runs, which was almost three-fourths of the team’s total at that stage.

While Tilak Varma usually plays the steady role at number three, Kishan has been aggressive from the beginning. He brings momentum to the innings and helps India bounce back quickly after early wickets.

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