Ajit Solanki/AP
India’s Shubman Gill celebrates scoring his third T20 international century against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
Ahmedabad: India 234-4 (Subman Gill 126 no off 63 balls, Rahul Tripathi 44 (22), Hardik Pandya 30 (17)) New Zealand 66 all out in 12.1 overs (Daryl Mania 35 (24); Pandya 4-16) 168 runs.
New Zealand’s bowlers were mere borderline batting fodder, and they were bowled out in walking their worst T20I defeat.
The army pushed a gargantuan 234-4 in the first in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning (NZ time), when opener Shubman Gill scored a hard-hitting unbeaten century.
In return, the Black Caps were all out for 66 in 12.1 overs, giving India the series 2-1. to capture New Zealand’s third was the lowest T20I score and the heaviest loss achieved by a team in men’s T20I history between two test sides.
NZ’s previous heaviest T20I defeat was by 103 runs against Pakistan in Christchurch in 2010.
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Gilla made 126 not out from just 63 balls as all the balls were penalized for going on the wicket in stark contrast to the second series played in the three-over in Lucknow, which scored only 200 runs in total.
It was the highest single T20I score by an Indian batsman, and he followed it up with a double hundred in the ODI series last month.
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Among the rising stars are some teenagers with nicknames that many Kiwi cricket fans will recognise.
The ranks of New Zealand’s bowlers came in for particularly brutal punishment as debutants Ben Lister, Lockie Ferguson and Blair Tickner combined for 146 runs from 11 overs.
New Zealand have only managed more than their target in four T20Is and their chances of a faint victory were almost immediately sensational when they dismissed the top three of Finn Allen, Devon Conway and Mark Chapman within 12 balls.
Only Daryl Mitchell – 35 off 25 balls for No.5 Black Caps T20I batting total of 60, did so twice – against Bangladesh in Mirpur in September 2021, and against Sri Lanka in Chattogram in March 2014.
A great moment
Gill had already raced to 33 from 19 balls when he was run out by Ferguson’s Tickner off the last ball of the power play.
Best with a bat
Lalla’s rivals are keen to open up a spot in the Indian side, but he continues to build a compelling case to be the first choice.
But he smashed seven sixes and four fours and gave NZ peace in the special no delay.
Ajit Solanki/AP
India’s Shubhman Gill became the youngest Indian to score a century in a T20I.
The best with the ball
Captain Hardik Pandya removed Allen with the fifth ball of the innings, courtesy of a brilliant catch by Kuldeep Yadav, repeated the trick soon after to remove Glenn Phillips and later returned to pick up two scalps from the tailenders.
Great picture
The T20 series was little more than a white-ball workout for New Zealand in India ahead of the One Day World Cup there in October. Next up for the Black Caps are two tests at home against England.