Mount Maunganui, Feb 2 (IANS): Experienced New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor on Sunday became the first male Kiwi cricketer to play 100 T20Is as he took the field against India in the fifth and final T20I here on Sunday.

Taylor, 35, joined woman all-rounder Suzie Bates (112) as the only two New Zealanders to have played 100 matches in the shortest format.

Taylor also became only the third male cricketer to have played 100 T20Is for their countries.

Shoaib Malik (113) and Rohit Sharma (107) are the only other male players to have played more matches than Taylor.

Taylor will soon look for another record when he plays the first Test of the two-match series against India starting February 21.

By playing his 100th Test in Wellington, Taylor will become the only cricketer in the history of the game to have played 100 games in all three formats.

Taylor has so far featured in 99 Tests, 228 ODIs and 100 T20Is scoring a total of 17,406 runs across formats.