India won the T20I series against New Zealand by 2-1, Shubhman scored his maiden century

Shubhman Gill scored main T-20 Hundred against New Zealand

Opener Shubman Gill scored his maiden century and Hardik Pandya produced an all rounder show to help India register a record shattering 168 runs victory over New Zealand in the third and final T20I at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 1.

The hosts clinched the three match series with 2-1, their biggest ever win in terms of runs in the format. India’s previous highest margin of victory was 143-run win over Ireland in Dublin in 2018.It was also the biggest margin of victory in a T20I match between two full member teams.

Often categorized as the ‘future of Indian batting’, Shubman Gill proved that he does belong to the T20I, scoring his maiden century in the format in the match and had famously scored a double hundred in the ODIs against New Zealand earlier, reached the triple digit score in the shortest format for the first time in his career. Gill completed his century in just 54 balls of the match, becoming the 5th Indian to score a T20I hundred.

After opting to bat, Gill mesmerized all with his strokeplays as he raced to hundred in just 54 balls, before remaining unbeaten on 126 off 63 balls, scoring the highest individual T20I score by an Indian. Gill smacked seven sixes and 12 fours in his dynamic innings. His superb knock was well supported by Rahul Tripathi (44 runs off 22 balls), Suryakumar Yadav (24 runs off 13 balls) and skipper Hardik (30 runs off 17 balls) as India posted a huge 234 for 4 in their 20 overs.

Gill, who ended his innings at 126 runs, has now registered the highest score for an Indian in T20I. Earlier, Virat Kohli held the record for scoring the highest score for an Indian in the T20Is. Kohli had scored an unbeaten 122 run score against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup. Gill surpassed Kohli in the match against the Kiwis.

New Zealand had a disastrous start to their massive run chase, losing four wickets in the first three overs of the match itself. Hardik gave India an early breakthrough by removing opener Allen who was caught in the first over by Suryakumar Yadav, before pacer Arshdeep Singh bowled a double wicket over, dismissing Devon Conway and Mark Chapman. Hardik then came back to remove Glenn Phillips  to reduce New Zealand’s to 7 for 4 in 2.4 overs.

Indian bowlers performed in unison to bowl out the visiting team New Zealand for their third lowest score in the shortest format.

Playing XI of New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Ben Lister and Blair Tickner

Playing XI of India: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan(w), Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Mavi, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh

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