India sealed yet another series this year, beating New Zealand in the third and final T20I in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, to take it 2-1.
After losing the first T20I by 21 runs last week, the Men in Blue, under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, bounced back with a nervy win in the second T20I, and Wednesday’s match was a winner-takes-all contest.
India opted to bat after winning the toss, and that decision did wonders for Shubman Gill, who scored his first T20I century, having just made his debut in the format in early January. His knock took the hosts to a mammoth total of 234/4, and New Zealand could not even manage half of that, being bundled out for just 66 in 12.1 overs.
That’s another series in the bag for India in 2023, having won both the ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka, as well as the ODI series against the Black Caps.
Let’s now take a look at some interesting statistics from the contest:
–Their 168-run win over the Kiwis on Wednesday was India’s biggest margin of victory in T20Is. India’s previous biggest T20I win was against Ireland in Dublin, back in 2018.
–This victory margin was also the biggest margin of win in a T20I between two Full Member nations.
–Their total of 66 was New Zealand’s second lowest in T20Is. The Kiwis had been previously bundled out for 60 on two separate occasions, one against Sri Lanka in 2014, and then against Bangladesh in 2021.
–New Zealand’s 60 against India on Wednesday was also the lowest T20I total by any team against India. Ireland had made just 70 in 2018, while England were bundled out for 80 by India in a T20 World Cup game in 2012.
–Wednesday was just the second occasion when an Indian batter’s score outscored a team’s total in a T20I. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 122 had overtaken Afghanistan’s 111/8 in Dubai last year. On Wednesday, Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 126 which was way more than the Kiwis total of 66.
–Hardik Pandya became the first Indian captain to take a four-wicket in haul in T20Is. He also became the first Indian captain since Anil Kumble in 2008 in any format to do so. Kumble had taken four wickets in both innings of the Sydney Test against Australia in 2008.
–It was just the second time when Indian pacers took all 10 wickets in a T20I innings. The only other occasion was against Pakistan in Dubai in 2022.
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