Ishan Kishan hundred helps India wrap up T20 series against New Zealand 4-1

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India — Ishan Kishan crashed 103 runs off 43 balls as India beat New Zealand by 46 runs in the fifth Twenty20 on Saturday.

Kishan hit 10 sixes and six boundaries in India's mammoth 271-5, India's fifth highest T20 total against a full member.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav added 63 off 30 balls with six sixes and Hardik Pandya hit 42 off 17.

World Cup addition Finn Allen powered New Zealand's reply with 80 off 38 but he didn't get much support and the Black Caps were all out for 225 in 19.4 overs.

Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh took 5-51 in four overs and rounded off India's last match before beginning its defense of the T20 World Cup title next weekend at home. India finished the five-match series a 4-1 winner.

Overall, the match aggregate of 496 runs was the second-highest in T20s.

India opted to bat first but Sanju Samson failed again, out for 6. Fellow opener Abhishek Sharma hit 30 off 16 but was out in the fifth over at 48-2.

Kishan raced to 50 off 28 and accelerated. The next 50 came off only 14 balls. Overall, he reached 100 off 42 balls, the quickest century against New Zealand and fifth fastest overall for India.

Overall, it was the seventh quickest hundred in T20s.

Yadav, meanwhile, scored 50 off 26 balls. Together they took India close to 200 before Yadav fell in the 15th over, stumped off Mitchell Santner.

Kishan and Pandya combined for another 48 runs off 18 balls before the centurion was out caught.

Pandya hit four sixes and a four as India crossed 250 in the 19th over, setting an imposing challenge for the Kiwis.

Fit-again Axar Patel bowled Allen in the ninth over to break that partnership. Thereafter, New Zealand lost regular wickets and didn't revive the chase.