NAPIER: A whirlwind century by Dawid Malan in a record-breaking stand with Eoin Morgan saw England crush New Zealand in the fourth Twenty20 by 76 runs in Napier on Friday to level the series with one game remaining.
Malan was unbeaten on 103 at the close of the England innings with Morgan out in the final over for 91 as England posted an imposing 241 for three and then rolled New Zealand for 165 with 19 balls remaining. The overwhelming victory set up a winner-takes-all finale in the fifth and final game in Auckland on Sunday.
Malan's 48-ball century was the fastest T20 hundred by an Englishman, his 182-run stand with Morgan is the highest by an England pair and the 241 total is an England record.
Morgan's 21-ball 50 is also an England record.
"The message is always the same, play aggressively and back yourself," Malan said.
"It's not very often you have days like that when every time you have a hack at one it lands safe or goes for six. It's as good as it gets."
Between them, the two left-handers hit 13 sixes and 16 fours with Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult the only New Zealand bowlers to escape with a run rate below 10 an over.
Malan, Morgan, Parkinson power England to big win!
The record 182-run stand between Malan (103*) and Morgan (91) followed by Matt Parkinson's four-for led