IND VS NZ - 3rd T20I, New Zealand tour of India, 2023

Two Gujarat Titans players standing tall today in what will be Gujarat Titans' home venue - we couldn't have asked for a better advert for the 2023 IPL. But before that, Team India will turn their focus back to Test cricket, with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting next week. For New Zealand, they can return back home after what will feel like a never-ending Asian tour and prepare themselves for a home Test series against England. We'll continue to bring you the live action from all those games, but for now this is Saurabh Shankar, signing off on behalf of Akshay Maanay and Mukesh.

Hardik Pandya shakes hands with all the dignitaries and goes on to collect the trophy. A well deserved series win for him and this young Indian side.

Hardik Pandya | Player of the Series and India Captain: I don't mind winning (man of the series award), but there were so performances here that were exceptional. This Man of the Series and trophy goes out to the whole support staff, I'm happy for all of them. (On doing things out of the box) Not to be honest, I always play the game like this. I try to read what is required, not have preconceived ideas. In my captaincy, I look to keep it simple and back my gut. I have a simple rule - if I go down, I will go down on my terms. We've spoken about taking challenges. When we played the IPL final, we felt the second innings was more spicy but on this surface today I wanted to make it a normal game because it was a decider. Hence, we batted first. Hopefully, we can continue performing like this.

Shubman Gill | Player of the Match: It feels good when you practice and it pays off. I was backing myself to score big. Didn't happen in the Sri Lanka series, but happy to see it work out now. Everybody has a different technique to hit sixes. Hardik bhai told me to play my game, not do anything extra and he kept backing me. When you represent your country, there is no fatigue. It was my dream to play for India, and I am very fortunate to be part of the team in all three formats.

Mitchell Santner: It was disappointing. It would be nice to take the trophy but credit to India, they played outstanding. Some of their guys are in great nick at the moment. It is tough to win when you lose 5 in the powerplay. It can be challenging when the ball is swinging. If you look at the way India played, they took their time early on and when it got flat, they really had a go at us. (On the World Cup later this year) I guess that time of the year there will be some dew around, most teams might bowl first. We've seen some great wickets, if it is like that in October it will be a great World Cup to be part of and to learn. I think 320 would be the score we'd want to restrict teams to then.

Stats brought to you by Deepu Narayanan

Biggest margin of win in a T20I between two Full Member teams
168 runs Ind vs NZ Ahmedabad 2023 *
143 runs Ind vs Ire Dublin 2018
143 runs Pak vs WI Karachi 2018
137 runs Eng vs WI Basseterre 2019

- India have lost the first match of a bilateral T20I rubber (min 3 games) on ten occasions. They ended up winning seven of those series while two ended in stalemates (only defeat coming in New Zealand in 2019).

Lowest T20I totals for New Zealand
60 vs SL Chattogram 2014
60 vs Ban Mirpur 2021
66 vs Ind Ahmedabad 2023 *

Lowest T20I totals against India
66 by NZ Ahmedabad 2023 *
70 by Ire Dublin 2018
80 by Eng Colombo RPS 2012

Indian batter outscoring an opposition in a T20I
V Kohli (122*) vs Afghanistan (111/8) Dubai 2022
S Gill (126*) vs New Zealand (66) Ahmedabad 2023 *

Rahul Tripathi: Nothing different. I was just looking to keep the same intent and keep the same process that worked in the IPL. Luckily today it went my way. I would have been more happier if I had gotten more runs, but it was a crucial period and I was happy that I could do it for the team. Yes, playing for your country is a responsibility, sometimes you do feel (what if I throw it away) but you have to trust your process and it is important to know what the team needs at that moment. It is important to capitalize the first six overs and that's what Rahul Sir keeps saying, keep playing the same way and see your options and then you can go about it, it is important to keep the momentum going. It was a terrific atmosphere, feeling really nice to win the series and to play in front of such a crowd.

Chasing a mammoth 234, NZ crumbled within the powerplay. Suryakumar Yadav took two screamers at slip as Pandya picked up two early wickets, while Arshdeep added a couple more from the other end. NZ never got going after that early jolt, as Umran Malik and Shivam Mavi picked up two apiece, while Pandya returned to add two more. Daryl Mitchell was the only positive for NZ as he managed to score 35, with the next best in the team being 13. A huge loss for the Kiwis, and India's biggest ever win in T20Is. Infact, this is the biggest margin of victory in a game played between two full member nations. Stick around for the presentations now...

22:09 Local Time, 16:39 GMT: New Zealand came into this game dreaming of a rare away series win in India, but that dream was shattered straightaway. Because right from the toss, Hardik Pandya and Co. could do no wrong today. A thumping 168-run win to claim a 2-1 series victory. The day belonged to Shubman Gill who became just the 5th Indian batter to score centuries in all formats of the game. After two difficult surfaces in Ranchi and Lucknow, this was a belter and the crowd were in for a treat. Gill whacked 12 fours and 7 sixes in his unbeaten knock of 126 - which happens to be the highest score by an Indian in T20Is. He was well supported by Rahul Tripathi, SKY and Hardik Pandya who all got valuable cameos.

Umran Malik to Mitchell, out Caught by Shivam Mavi!! All over!! This was a quick and bouncy delivery on middle, Mitchell goes for the pull. Doesn't time it well and Mavi runs in quickly from deep mid-wicket to complete a fine catch. A resounding 168 run victory for India. Mitchell c Shivam Mavi b Umran Malik 35(25) [4s-1 6s-3]

Umran Malik to Mitchell, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Umran Malik [2.0-0-9-1] is back into the attack

Hardik Pandya to Ben Lister, no run, short pitched on middle and leg. Lister defends into the pitch

Ben Lister, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Hardik Pandya to Tickner, out Caught by Ishan Kishan!! Four for Pandya!! This is back of a length on the body, Tickner gets a leading edge off his handle while trying to pull. Lobs up in the air for the easiest of takes for Ishan Kishan. He could have taken that with a blindfold. NZ lose their ninth. Tickner c Ishan Kishan b Hardik Pandya 1(5)