Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav continued his remarkable run in the shortest format, winning his sixth Player of the Series (POTS) award in T20 Internationals after India sealed a dominant 46-run victory in the fifth and final T20I against the New Zealand cricket team. India wrapped up the series 4-1 in emphatic fashion.
With this achievement, Suryakumar now has the second-most Player of the Series awards in T20Is, trailing only compatriot Virat Kohli, who leads the list with seven. He is now level with Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who also has six such awards.
Surya Overcomes Lean Patch Ahead of World Cup
The series marked a significant personal turnaround for Suryakumar, who had endured a lean run of 23 innings without a half-century before finding form in the second T20I. Reflecting on the phase after the series win, the Indian skipper admitted it had been a testing period but said belief in his process kept him going.
“The sky was not blue for a year, but I knew my time would come. I was not out of form, just out of runs,” Suryakumar said during the post-match presentation.
In what was India’s final T20I assignment before the upcoming T20 World Cup, Suryakumar struck three half-centuries, finishing the series with 242 runs at an average of 80.66 and a strike rate above 196, underlining his return to peak form at the perfect time.
Fifth T20I: Batting Carnage from India
After winning the toss and opting to bat, India suffered early setbacks as Sanju Samson fell cheaply and Abhishek Sharma departed for a brisk 30 off 16 balls, leaving the hosts at 48/2. What followed was sheer domination. A stunning 137-run partnership between Ishan Kishan and skipper Suryakumar turned the game decisively in India’s favour. Kishan smashed a breathtaking 103 off 43 balls, while Suryakumar contributed 63 off 30 deliveries.
Late fireworks from Hardik Pandya, who blasted 42 off 17 balls, propelled India to a mammoth 271/5 in 20 overs. For New Zealand, Lockie Ferguson was the most effective bowler with 2/41, while Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson, and Mitchell Santner endured expensive outings.
Bowlers Seal India’s Big Win
In response, New Zealand showed early promise despite losing Tim Seifert early. A threatening century stand between Finn Allen (80 off 38) and Rachin Ravindra (30 off 17) briefly kept the chase alive. However, India’s bowlers turned the match on its head as Arshdeep Singh delivered a sensational spell, claiming 5/51, while Axar Patel chipped in with 3/33. New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 225, handing India a commanding victory.
With Suryakumar Yadav rediscovering his best form and India continuing their unbeaten run in the T20I series under his leadership, the team heads into the T20 World Cup brimming with confidence, and with their captain once again at the heart of everything.
