Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya dazzle as India records historic win over New Zealand in 3rd T20I, win series 2-1

Shubman Gill hammered a spectacular unbeaten maiden century in the shortest format as India thrashed New Zealand by 168 runs in the third and final T20 International here on Wednesday, giving India a 2-1 series victory. The 143-run victory over Ireland in Dublin in 2018 was India’s second-largest margin of victory. Gill maintained his great form and displayed his assortment of strokes, blasting the New Zealand bowlers to all parts of the Narendra Modi Stadium to score 126 not out off 63 balls with 12 fours and seven sixes. After deciding to bat, India posted 234 for 4 thanks to Gill’s brilliance.

New Zealand never got going in the massive chase, as Indian bowlers bowled out the visitors for 66 in 12.1 overs, the third-lowest score for the Kiwis in this format.

Hardik Pandya led the bowling attack with 4/16, while Umran Malik (2/9), Shivam Mavi (2/12), and Arshdeep Singh (2/16) each took two wickets.

New Zealand’s Finn Allen was caught by Suryakumar Yadav on the fifth delivery of Pandya’s first over.

Arshdeep Singh struck with his first delivery, a fuller delivery from Devon Conway to Pandya at mid-off.

New Zealand continued to lose wickets when Mark Champman got a faint inside edge off Arshdeep’s final delivery of the over, which went straight to Ishan Kishan.

New Zealand’s wickets continued to tumble like a pack of cards, with Glenn Phillips becoming the latest victim, caught by Suryakumar at slips off Pandya.

With 13 for 4 after three overs, New Zealand’s game was all but over.

New Zealand’s plight deteriorated further when Michael Bracewell was cleaned up by a quick delivery from Umran Malik.

Mitchell Santner (13) and Daryl Mitchell (35) shared 32 runs for the sixth wicket when Shivam Mavi dismissed the former, caught by Suryakumar at deep midwicket fence as the left-hander attempted to heave a short ball.

Mavi struck again a ball later, removing Ish Sodhi (0), who was caught at backward point by Tripathi, as New Zealand collapsed to 53 for seven in nine overs.

Following then, it was really a formality for India, as the hosts romped home in style.

Earlier, after deciding to bat, Mitchell Santner made a master-stroke move by giving Michael Bracewell the second over, and the off-spinner reposed his captain’s faith by dismissing an out-of-form Ishan Kishan with the second ball of the over.

In the next over, the in-form Gill hit two boundaries off Lockie Ferguson.

Gill was at his threatening best, picking up hits, drives, and pulls to continue his onslaught. In the fifth over, he struck Blair Tickner for three fours as India reached 44 for 1.

Young Rahul Tripathi (44 off 22), who has shown great promise but has not to deliver in this series, then hit Ferguson for a boundary and a six in consecutive balls to keep the momentum going.

Tripathi then drew Santner over the short-fine leg before coming down and lofting the left-arm spinner for a six.

Tripathi demonstrated his attacking ability by hitting Ish Sodhi over extra cover for his third six of the innings, but perished in the next ball in search of one too many, holing out to Ferguson at deep square leg.

Gill’s maiden T20I fifty came off 35 balls, with a single against Santner. Suryakumar Yadav (24 off 13) showed flashes of brilliance but fell in the 13th over, wonderfully caught by Bracewell at mid-off after the batter mistimed his stroke.

In the first delivery of the 18th over, Gill reached his century with a four over the mid-off fielder off the bowling of Ferguson. In the next ball, he broke free and clobbered Ferguson over mid-wicket for a big six.

It was turmoil as skipper Pandya (30 off 17) went on a rampage.

But it was Gill who stole the show following the tonne, continuing with his aggressive shots and finding the boundaries at will while the New Zealand team looked helpless.

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