IND vs NZ 5th T20I: Ishan Kishan was on a roll. The humid air in Thiruvananthapuram seemed to help, as balls kept flying into the stands. But a few Indian players were left in the dust despite the massive 271-run total.
Saturday’s game at the Greenfield International Stadium was a total blowout. India crushed New Zealand by 46 runs to take the series 4-1. Still, a few guys in the dressing room weren’t celebrating. Even in a huge win, personal struggles sting a bit more.
Thiruvananthapuram’s 271-Run Feast Leaves A Few Starving: The Flops From IND vs NZ 5th T20I
Sanju Samson:
Sanju Samson had the toughest night of all. Karyavattom was ready for him. Fans waved their banners, and the crowd went wild when their local star walked out to open. But the dream ended almost immediately. While Ishan Kishan was hitting a century off just 42 balls and Suryakumar Yadav was messing with the fielders, Sanju Samson just couldn’t get going.
He couldn’t find his timing. He looked uncomfortable. After just six balls, Sanju Samson got out for only six runs, hitting a ball high in the air that he usually would have put in the seats.
His teammates were teeing off on a struggling bowling attack, but Sanju Samson couldn’t buy a run. This failure hurts because the pitch was a batter’s dream; it was built for scoring, but Samson’s bat stayed quiet.
Abhishek Sharma:
Most openers wouldn’t complain about 30 runs off 16 balls, but Abhishek Sharma is probably kicking himself tonight. He started fast and hit at a 200 strike rate, but he gave his wicket away right when things were getting easy.
He did the hard part. He handled the new ball well. Then, a split-second bad decision ended his innings. On a night where the teams thought 271 was a normal score, 30 feels like pocket change. Abhishek Sharma had to watch from the sidelines as Kishan started slow and then took over the game. Abhishek Sharma missed a massive chance to get a huge hundred on a perfect batting track.
Jasprit Bumrah
India got the win, but the bowlers took a beating. Giving up 225 runs is never a good look, even if you win. Arshdeep Singh took five wickets, which looks great on paper, but he also gave up 51 runs in just four overs. The New Zealand batters, especially Finn Allen, went right after the Indian pacers early on.
Jasprit Bumrah, who is very accurate on other days, gave away 58 runs in his four overs at 14.50 runs per over and did not pick up a single wicket.
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The rest of the group also struggled to stop the bleeding. On a different night with a smaller target, this lack of control could have cost them the game. The final score says victory, but the run rates are a bit of a wake-up call.
A win can hide a lot of problems. Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav played so well that they covered up the team’s mistakes. But for Sanju Samson and the expensive bowlers, this game was a reality check. Cricket moves fast. With the World Cup coming up, these guys need to find their form quickly.
