Who Said What? What did Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan & Mitchell Santner say after INDvNZ, 5th T20I?

India bagged a 46-run win over New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I as they sealed the series 4-1 at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, January 31.

In the fifth and final T20I, India batted first, posting a whopping total of 271/5 in 20 overs, courtesy of Ishan Kishan's 103-run knock off 43 balls with six fours and 10 sixes. Moreover, Suryakumar Yadav (64) and Hardik Pandya (42) also scored at an exceptional pace.

In the chase, New Zealand could score 225 runs in 19.4 overs, losing the game by 46 runs. Finn Allen was the star batter with his 80-run knock, but in vain. Arshdeep Singh impressed with his maiden five-wicket haul. 

On that note, let’s take a look at who said what after INDvNZ, 5th T20I.

Indian captain and player of the series, Suryakumar Yadav

It feels really good. It’s been a long year and a long wait for moments like this. I’ve always dreamed about when this time would come. You (Murali Kartik) actually said it before the last series in Ahmedabad - when SKY is there, don’t fear. I just kept doing the same things I’d been doing over the last year, stuck to my routines. I knew I wasn’t out of form, just out of runs. It’s been a very good series, and going into the World Cup feeling like this is really special. 

(what was going through his mind) I think the sky wasn’t blue for a year, (smiles). But that’s life. It’s part of the journey. I took it in my stride, went back to the drawing board, tried to understand what was going wrong. After the last series, I got two or three weeks where I spent time with close friends - they told me a few important things I needed to follow. That’s a sportsperson’s life. I’ve seen so many careers - not just in cricket - where people go through these phases. I knew my time would come if I kept doing the small things right. I’m really happy with how things have turned out. 

(is he happy with how things are shaping up) Definitely. Whether you win or lose, you always take something from the game. When we go back to Mumbai and play a warm-up game against South Africa, we’ll sit down and analyse the last five games and the year as a whole - what we’ve done well and what we can improve. Then we start our campaign. (New Zealand didn't give up) This format is really hard on bowlers - I completely understand that. When you score big runs, you have to expect the opposition to come hard at you. As a captain and as a bowling unit, you’re always under pressure. The key is having good plans. It’s all part of the learning process. We’ll sit down, talk it through, and move forward.

Player of the match, Ishan Kishan

(immediate thoughts on his knock) Honestly, not much. I felt the ball was doing a bit early on, but batting alongside Abhishek Sharma really helps. You see his intent, you understand the momentum the team needs, and then you just try to watch the ball and play accordingly. That approach worked well for me today. 

(not worrying about personal milestones) I think that’s the mindset of everyone in our team now. Even if you’re close to a milestone, it doesn’t really matter. If you start taking singles at that stage, you might feel later that you missed an opportunity to go big. So if the ball is there to hit, you have to go for it. The focus is on winning matches, not personal milestones. 

(how satisfying is it) I still feel I’m not there yet. Yes, I’ve done well and I’m getting these awards, but my focus is firmly on the World Cup. That’s where the extra effort is needed. What’s important is carrying this form forward and continuing to contribute there.

New Zealand captain, Mitchell Santner

Yeah, I think when you look at the series as a whole, we’ve taken a lot of positives. India are a very good team - I said that right at the start - and in their own conditions they’re extremely tough to beat. Maybe we push the ropes back a little for the bowlers (laughs), but overall, it’s entertaining cricket at the end of the day. 

(did they manage to tick off a few boxes) I think when you’re challenged throughout a series, that’s always a good thing. You put both your bowlers and batters under pressure, and you can only learn from that. From that point of view, it’s been a really good series for us. Obviously, the results haven’t gone our way, but there are learnings from every single game. 

(what are the learning with the World Cup coming up) It’s not easy. As a bowling unit, we’ve got to find ways against very good batters - guys who deal in boundaries and sixes. Maybe it’s about turning those big overs into 15 or 16, especially on flat pitches, knowing that even 230 can be chaseable.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!