An invincible Virat Kohli-led Team India will look to script one of the rarest wins in T20I history when they take on New Zealand in the fifth and final tie of the series at the Bay Oval Stadium in Mount Maunganui. India are so far 4-0 up in the series and have already won the contest, but will be aiming for a whitewash of the Black Caps in the final tie.
No full-member nation of the International Cricket Council (ICC) have ever scripted a whitewash in a T20I series comprising four or more matches. There have been a total of five T20I series so far where full-member nations of ICC have been involved in a series of four or more matches, including the ongoing contest between India and New Zealand. And none ended in a complete lopsided note. But with a 4-0 lead in the series and the trophy already in hand, India will be looking to become the first-ever full-member nation of the ICC to script a 5-0 whitewash in a T20I series of four or more matches.
For India, it will be their third overseas whitewash in series other than one-offs in T20Is. They had defeated Ireland 2-0 in 2018 and Australia 3-0 in 2015/16 tour. However, in India-New Zealand contest, this will be the second whitewash - the Kiwis had won both the matches of the series in 2008/09 tour.
For New Zealand, the trouble keeps piling up after back-to-back Super Over defeat. They have never lost all games in a bilateral T20I series at home barring the 2-0 whitewash by England in 2008. Hence, India will be the second team to whitewash New Zealand at home in the shortest format.
A fifth T20I win will also extend India's winning streak to eight - the longest for the nation. Thrice have India scripted a seven-match unbeaten run in the format - December 2012 to April 2014, February 2016 to March 2016, March 2018 to July 2018 and now. England, Ireland and Pakistan are the three nations to have achieved this feat although the tally of 12 unbeaten matches by Afghanistan is the longest run in T20I history.
While the victory will come as a huge delight for Team India, who are preparing for the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia, it will have no impact on their position in the T20I ranking list. India will remain fifth no matter the result, standing behind Pakistan, Australia, England and South Africa.
"Now we have an opportunity to make it 5-0 and it will be really amazing to do that. Come the fifth match, we will look to go 5-0 up, that is our plan. Nobody has done it before and especially India has not done it before. So, I think it will be a great start to do that," said Manish Pandey after India's win in the fourth T20I.
