Shubman Gill (126 n.o., 63b, 12×4, 7×6) lit up the stage with flashy punches to lead India to a 168-run win over New Zealand in the third T20I here on Wednesday. India, who recorded the biggest win (runs) in T20I, finished the 3-game leg with him 2-1.
Gil more than made up for his mistakes in his previous two games. The prelude culminated with his T20I single point his score being the highest by an Indian. The previous record was set by Virat Kohli when he went unbeaten with 122 against Afghanistan in Dubai last year. Gill started cautiously, moving on 61 of 41 balls. He moved in 16 overs, moving left-arm debutant Ben Lister in deep mid-wicket with two sixes. In the next over, Gill Blair hit two more sixes for his Tickner.
Gill, who had a clean run halfway through, won his first T20I his Century and bowed to the crowd to celebrate. Gill, who scored 208 and 112 in previous ODI matches against the same opponents, took the match from the Kiwis again. Gil’s fireworks propelled India to a mammoth of 4 to 234. This is the highest ever total for his T20I team at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
One-drop Rahul Tripathi turned India’s early momentum with an interesting 22-ball 44. Tripathi showed great confidence as he paddled a 148 mph RPG from Lockie Ferguson over a deep, delicate foot fielder. The 31-year-old Maharashtrian slugger also excelled against spins, with left tweaker Mitchell Santner his max clean straight.
Captain Hardyk Pandia (30, 17b, 4×4, 1×6) sat down and tasted Gill’s exploits in his stand for his 4th wicket of 103 runs. The New Zealand chase collapsed in five overs. The visitors fell to 5 for 21 in his 4.3 overs, with fast bowlers Hardik Pandya, Ashdeep Singh and Umran Malik under the wickets. Suryakumar Yadav took off his two blindfolds when he slipped and jumped up like a soccer goalkeeper.
Pandya finished with his 16-for-4, with Malik, Arshdeep and Shivam Mavi each taking his two scalps.