IND vs NZ: Arshdeep picks his maiden T20I fifer for India in Trivandrum

Despite of starting his spell in the worst way possible and conceding 40 runs in the first 2 overs, the pacer produced a strong comeback, taking 2 wickets each in his remaining 2 overs.

Arshdeep Singh claimed his maiden T20I five-wicket haul during the fifth T20I against New Zealand at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

 

Despite a shaky start to his spell, in which he conceded 40 runs off his first two overs, the pacer bounced back brilliantly. Arshdeep came back strongly, taking 2 wickets in each of his remaining two overs, putting India in a commanding position as they defended their mammoth total of 271.

 

He ended his spell with impressive figures of 5 wickets for 51 runs, with 40 of those runs coming from his first two overs. In contrast, his final two overs yielded just 10 runs while he took 4 crucial wickets.

 

W.0.W ⚡️  Two wickets in an over for Arshdeep Singh ????  New Zealand 5⃣ down  Updates ▶️ https://t.co/Thau28CPuZ#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/aIXbUfxP5T

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 31, 2026

Reflecting on his rollercoaster spell, Arshdeep said, "It was a great learning experience for me. The spell taught me to stay calm through the tough start and then make a strong comeback. While it may have appeared calm on camera, I wasn’t exactly composed at all times."

 

He also acknowledged that it was expected for the visitors to come out all guns blazing, and he was prepared for the onslaught, especially with the conditions favoring the batsmen on the night. 

  India seal series 4-1   

Suryakumar Yadav’s Team India wrapped up their final T20I assignment before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 with a comprehensive 46-run victory over New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. India secured the five-match series 4-1, with standout performances from Ishan Kishan, who blasted a scintillating 103 off 43 balls, and Arshdeep Singh, who claimed a career-best 5 for 51 with the ball.

 

India’s Explosive Batting Display

 

India won the toss and chose to bat first, setting the stage for an explosive innings. The opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson got off to a solid start with 31 runs coming in just 17 balls. However, Samson’s struggles continued as he was dismissed for just 6, miscuing a delivery from Lockie Ferguson to third man. Sharma looked fluent, contributing a quickfire 30 from 16 balls, but he fell to Ferguson as well, bowled by a dipping delivery. India finished the powerplay at 54 for 2.

 

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan took charge, building a rapid partnership. The pair raced to a half-century stand as India crossed the 100-run mark in the 10th over. Kishan, in particular, was in superb form, reaching his eighth T20I half-century off just 28 balls.

 

Suryakumar then joined the party, bringing up his own 24th T20I half-century, and the pair kept the runs flowing at an impressive rate. Yadav eventually fell for a blistering 63 off 30 balls, dismissed by Mitchell Santner. But Kishan continued to shine, eventually reaching his first T20I century, finishing with an explosive 103 off 43 balls. He was dismissed by Jacob Duffy.

 

Hardik Pandya’s late cameo added further firepower to India’s innings, as he smashed 42 off just 16 balls. Despite being dismissed by Kyle Jamieson in the final over, Pandya’s blitz helped India post a formidable total of 271 for 5, showcasing their batting dominance once again.

 

New Zealand’s Counter-Attack Falls Short

 

Chasing a mammoth total, New Zealand’s response got off to a shaky start as Tim Seifert was dismissed for 5 in the first over by Arshdeep Singh. However, the Black Caps counter-attacked through Finn Allen, who launched a fiery 22-ball half-century to lift New Zealand to 70 for 1 after the powerplay.

 

Allen’s aggression continued as he reached 80 off 38 balls, taking New Zealand past the 100-run mark in just eight overs. However, India struck back with the ball, as Axar Patel removed both Allen and Glenn Phillips (7 runs off 6 balls), slowing New Zealand’s progress.

 

Arshdeep Singh continued to torment the New Zealand batsmen, dismissing Rachin Ravindra (30 off 17 balls) and Mitchell Santner (0 off 2 balls), putting India firmly in control. The pressure mounted as Varun Chakravarthy removed Bevon Jacobs (7 off 11 balls), and Arshdeep took his fifth wicket by dismissing Kyle Jamieson (9 off 5 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (26 off 12 balls), leaving New Zealand reeling.

 

Axar Patel then dismissed Lockie Ferguson (3 off 4 balls) to push New Zealand to the brink of an all-out. Ish Sodhi (33 off 15 balls) fought valiantly, but he too fell to Rinku Singh as New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 225 in 19.4 overs, handing India a 46-run victory.

 

With this dominant win, India sealed the T20I series 4-1, underlining their strength ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan’s century and Arshdeep Singh’s five-wicket haul were the highlights of a memorable performance, and India will head into the World Cup with high confidence following their series triumph.

  India will kick off their title defense on home soil when they take on USA on February 7.