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India registered their fifth consecutive T20I series win at home with a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Tim Southee’s New Zealand in Ranchi T20I. This is also India’s second consecutive T20I series win over New Zealand. Virat Kohli-led India had whitewashed New Zealand 5-0 when they toured them in 2020.
In the Ranchi T20I, the Indian team achieved a unique feat even before a ball was bowled. With Harshal Patel’s debut, India now have 94 debutants in the format equalling South Africa and Pakistan. Australia are on the top of the list with 98 T20I debutants so far.
As India made short work of New Zealand’s par total, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma also equalled and broke a few records. The opening duo became the first Indian pair with five consecutive fifty-plus stands. The 117-run opening partnership was their fourth century stand. The Indian pair has also equalled record of most opening century stands. Pakistan’s Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan and India’s Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit also have the same number of 100-plus partnerships.
Within a short time frame, Rohit and Rahul have put on 1,000-plus runs in partnerships becoming the second Indian opening pair to do so.
The 53-run knock was Rohit’s 29th fifty-plus score in T20Is. The Indian opener equalled Virat Kohli’s record of most fifty-plus scores in the format. However, Rohit has four centuries and 25 half-centuries compared to Kohli’s 29 half-centuries. Rohit also became the fastest to hit 450 sixes in international cricket in his 404th innings going past former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi.
Earlier in the first innings, Martin Guptill went past Kohli to become the leading run-scorer in the format. Before the match, Guptill needed just 11 runs to surpass the former Indian T20I skipper.
