Team India thrashed New Zealand in the third and final T20I at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. With the victory, the hosts also clinched the three-match series 2-1.
Batting first, India posted a humungous 234/4 on the board in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a jaw-dropping knock from opener Shubman Gill. The swashbuckling batter produced an incredible display of power-hitting and hit his maiden T20I hundred.
Gill reached his century in merely 54 balls to become the seventh Indian man to reach the three-figure mark in the shortest format. India captain Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, and Virat Kohli had earlier slammed centuries in T20Is.
Overall, Gill became only the fifth Indian to score hundreds in all three formats for India, after Raina, Rohit, Rahul and Kohli. Gill also carried his bat and remained unbeaten on 126 off 63 deliveries, including 12 fours and 7 sixes. Apart from the Punjab batter, Rahul Tripathi also played a quickfire knock of 44 from 22 deliveries.
In response, New Zealand’s batting fell like a pack of cards as the tourists got bundled out for just 66 in 12.1 overs, losing the contest by a huge margin of 168 runs. India skipper Hardik Pandya shined with the ball, picking up a brilliant 4-wicket haul for 16 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
Biggest margin of win in a T20I between two Full Member teams:
- 168 runs: India vs New Zealand, Ahmedabad 2023 *
- 143 runs: India vs Ireland, Dublin 2018
- 143 runs: Pakistan vs West Indies, Karachi 2018
- 137 runs: England vs West Indies, Basseterre 2019
Here is how Twitter reacted:
India take the T20 Series 2-1 with a strong display in Ahmedabad. Scorecard | #INDvNZ 📷 = BCCI pic.twitter.com/SJ86SRwUcA
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 1, 2023
As comprehensive as it gets 💪
India clinch the series 2-1 against New Zealand after a dominant display in Ahmedabad! #INDvNZ | 📝: Scorecard: pic.twitter.com/naNCNERIpN
— ICC (@ICC) February 1, 2023
25 consecutive unbeaten ODI series at home for India. We don’t have the records book to hand, but that must be unprecedented.
— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) February 1, 2023
And he’s done it again! Once again a great match-winning knock by @ShubmanGill 👏🏻👊🏻💯@BCCI 🇮🇳
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) February 1, 2023
Hardik Pandya becomes the first Indian captain to take a T20I four-wicket haul.
First Indian men’s captain in any format since Anil Kumble in both innings of 2008 Sydney Test.#INDvNZ
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) February 1, 2023
India in 2023:
– Beat SL (2-1) in T20.
– Beat SL (3-0) in ODI.
– Beat NZ (3-0) in ODI.
– Beat NZ (2-1) in T20.India continues the domination at home.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 1, 2023
India beat New Zealand by 168 runs in the third T20I.#INDvNZ #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/36E3VhwRJa
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 1, 2023
Match summary 😅 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/UfxtAnR2Ls
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 1, 2023
Shubman Gill beats New Zealand by 60 runs! 😅
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) February 1, 2023
When you think you have seen it all, you can still see the perfect team performance.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 1, 2023
India’s win today by 168 runs over New Zealand is the highest margin of victory between two Full Member teams in a T20I#INDvNZ #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) February 1, 2023
Shubham Gill is carrying on Virat Kohli’s legacy of bossing T20 cricket with orthodox batting.
— Nikhil Naz (@NikhilNaz) February 1, 2023
Shubman vaari paaata 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
Maiden Test 100 ✅
ODI Double 100 ✅
Maiden T20I 100 ✅#INDvNZ #ShubmanGill #TeamIndia | @ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/T0GewvowNq— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) February 1, 2023