Spin-bullies, six-hitting Team India continue shattering T20I record books

Thiruvanthanpuram (Kerala) [India], January 31 (ANI): Team India continued their record-shattering run in T20Is, smashing the fifth-highest total by a team against a Test-playing nation in the format, with their 271/5 against New Zealand in the fifth T20I at Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
India's highest T20I score against a Test-playing nation is 297/6 against Bangladesh, which they hit in 2024 at Hyderabad. The highest score in T20Is against a Test-playing nation is England's 304/2 against South Africa in Manchester last year.
A total of 23 sixes were hit in the innings, and this is the joint-most sixes conceded by a Test-playing nation in T20Is, besides 23 by South Africa, that too against India in 2024.
India has overtaken England's record of 64 sixes in a bilateral series, smashing 69 in this five-match series, which is now the most by a team. England's 64 sixes had come against the West Indies in a five-match series as well.
India has been absolute monsters against spin bowling this series, scoring 415 runs in 34 overs of spin bowling throughout this series, at an average of 41.50, with a strike rate of 203.43. There have been 10 dismissals against spinners. They have hit 39 fours and 26 sixes against spin during this series.
In the match, India won the toss and chose to bat first. While Sanju fell to a single-digit score, Abhishek Sharma (30 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) also fell, leaving India at 48/2. A 137-run stand between Ishan Kishan (103 in 43 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (63 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and six sixes) enthralled the audience. Later on, a cameo from Hardik Pandya (42 in 17 balls, with a four and four sixes) took India to 271/5 in 20 overs.
Lockie Ferguson (2/41) was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, while Jacob Duffy (1/53), Kyle Jamieson (1/59) and Mitchell Santner (1/60) leaked runs. (ANI)