IND vs NZ: Ishan Kishan hits maiden T20I ton in Thiruvananthapuram
Ishan's 42-ball century vs New Zealand is now the fifth fastest T20I century for India
Indian wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan lit up the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram in the fifth T20I against New Zealand on Saturday as he scored his maiden T20I century to present an undeniable case for his inclusion in India’s playing XI in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Ishan, who missed out in the fourth T20I, came out to bat in the India innings after the hosts lost the wicket of local boy Sanju Samson cheaply. Ishan started off slow but quickly picked up the pace and scored his half-century in just 28 balls before adding the next fifty runs in just 14 balls to complete his century in 42 balls with the help of six fours and ten sixes.
Ishan’s 42-ball century vs New Zealand is now the fifth fastest T20I century for India behind Rohit Sharma (35 balls), Abhishek Sharma (37 balls), Sanju Samson (40 balls) and Tilak Verma (42 balls).
Full list of Indian players with fastest T20I century:
| Player | Balls Faced | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| Rohit Sharma | 35 | Sri Lanka | Indore | 2017 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 37 | England | Mumbai | 2025 |
| Sanju Samson | 40 | Bangladesh | Hyderabad | 2024 |
| Tilak Varma | 41 | South Africa | Johannesburg | 2024 |
| Ishan Kishan | 42 | New Zealand | Thiruvananthapuram | 2026 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 45 | Sri Lanka | Rajkot | 2023 |
| KL Rahul | 46 | West Indies | Lauderhill | 2016 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 46 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 2024 |
| Sanju Samson | 47 | South Africa | Durban | 2024 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 48 | England | Nottingham | 2022 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 49 | New Zealand | Mount Maunganui | 2022 |
| Sanju Samson | 51 | South Africa | Johannesburg | 2024 |
| Tilak Varma | 51 | South Africa | Centurion | 2024 |