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Kishan's 32-ball 61 breaks Suryakumar's calendar-year record as India charge at Hamilton
After Adam Milne struck twice early, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer hit back to take India to 111 for 2 in ten overs in the fifth T20I, and Kishan became the Indian with the most T20I runs in a calendar year.
Key points
- Ishan Kishan made 61 off 32 balls with five fours and five sixes at Seddon Park.
- He passed Suryakumar Yadav's 1,164 runs from 2022 for the most T20I runs by an Indian in a calendar year.
- India were 111 for 2 after ten overs before New Zealand pulled things back.
Ishan Kishan picked the last match of a long T20I year to put his name above Suryakumar Yadav’s. His 61 off 32 balls in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park on Sunday made him the Indian batter with the most T20I runs in a calendar year.
Kishan needed six runs to pass the 1,164 that Suryakumar scored in 2022, and he got there in a hurry. He reached his fifty off 28 balls with a big six off Mitchell Santner over wide long-on, and finished with five fours and five sixes.
The innings came after a shaky start. Sent in by Santner, who won the toss for the first time in the series, India lost both openers inside four overs. Adam Milne had Sanju Samson caught by Michael Bracewell off a thick edge and Abhishek Sharma went for 1, leaving India 21 for 2 as a light drizzle began.
Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer then took the attack apart. Iyer struck four sixes in a 17-ball 41 not out, and the pair carried India to 111 for 2 after ten overs.
New Zealand struck back in the 11th over. Blair Tickner, brought in for Matt Fisher, had Kishan caught by Nathan Smith at deep mid-wicket, and India were 122 for 3 after 11.2 overs. Iyer also went past fifty before he fell, leaving Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir together at the crease.
Earlier in October, Kishan had already passed Virat Kohli’s 1,614 runs from 2016 for the most runs by an Indian across all T20 cricket in a calendar year. India lead the series 3-1 after losing by 87 runs at Eden Park on Friday.