Ishan Kishan Smashes 33-Ball Hundred in List A Cricket Three Days After Securing Place in India’s T20 World Cup Squad

Ishan Kishan has excelled in white-ball cricket, accumulating 933 runs across 27 ODIs and 796 runs in 32 T20Is during his international career.

Ishan Kishan Smashes 33-Ball Hundred in List A Cricket Three Days After Securing Place in India’s T20 World Cup Squad

Ishan Kishan scored a record-breaking hundred against Karnataka, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. (via NDTV Sports)

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In a record-breaking day of domestic cricket in India, Jharkhand skipper Ishan Kishan smashed a 33-ball hundred in a Vijay Hazare Trophy encounter against Karnataka. The knock was a celebration of his much-awaited return to the Indian T20Is setup for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. 

Ishan Kishan has been basking in glory after guiding Jharkhand to its maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last week. The 27-year-old finished as the highest run-getter, having scored 517 runs in just ten innings at an average of 57.32 and a strike-rate of 197.32. He scored two hundreds, including a 101-run knock off just 49 deliveries in the final against Haryana, to help his team pile a total of 262 runs. 

The left-hander turned heads and broke his way into the Indian side for the 2026 T20 World Cup, as well as the preceding T20I series against New Zealand. He has been picked in a 15-member squad, and will primarily be playing the role of a backup wicket-keeper batter and opener to first-choice Sanju Samson. Ishan Kishan will be making his return to Team India colors for the first time since 2023. 

Ishan Kishan continued with his fine form, with a masterful Vijay Hazare Trophy knock. Batting at number six for Jharkhand in their opening VHT clash against Karnataka, he scored 125 runs off just 39 deliveries, at a blistering strike-rate of 320.51, hitting seven fours and 14 sixes. He brought up his seventh List A century in just 33 deliveries, one more than what Bihar captain Sakibul Gani took to complete a hundred earlier today, against Arunachal Pradesh. 

While Gani (32 balls) is now ranked first, Kishan (33 balls) is ranked second on the list of fastest List A hundreds by an Indian. Apart from the 27-year-old, Virat Singh also contributed with 88 runs off 68 balls, while Kumar Kushagra scored a 47-ball 63, to take Jharkhand to a massive first innings total of 412/9. However, the total was not enough, given Karnataka chased it down in 47.3 overs, with Devdutt Padikkal scoring a match-winning 147 off 188 balls. 

Jharkhand will be up against Rajasthan on Friday, with Ishan Kishan expected to take on from where he left. He might also look to be selected in the Indian ODI squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand, starting January 11.

India’s predicted XI for 2026 T20 World Cup, Ishan Kishan to remain out despite being in stellar form

The BCCI-appointed Indian men’s national team selectors made a bold choice when they left out Shubman Gill from the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup. Gill and Jitesh Sharma were omitted from the final group, with the selectors opting for Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan. 

Ishan Kishan in T20 World Cup
Ishan Kishan might have to struggle to make it into the playing XI at the 2026 T20 World Cup. (via Inside Sport)

Gill has been dropped from the squad after a series of poor performances in the shortest format since being fast-tracked into the team during the 2025 Asia Cup. In 15 innings since August, the 26-year-old scored only 291 runs at an average of 24.25 and a strike-rate of just 137.26, with no fifties or hundreds to show for his efforts. Shubman Gill is expected to be replaced in the playing XI by Sanju Samson.

Taking a look at the potential playing XI for the World Cup, the team management might go ahead with the trusted opening pair Abhishek Sharma and Samson. Captain Suryakumar Yadav will stick to his no.3 spot, followed by Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh. Axar Patel is expected to slot in, with the bowling attack comprising Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah.

The playing XI might, however, change according to conditions and players’ form. Ishan Kishan, who has been in great form in T20s, might have to remain on the bench, but might get the run against associate sides through, including USA, Namibia and the Netherlands. 

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