Daijiworld Media Network - Wellington

Wellington, Oct 27: Abhishek Sharma produced a record-breaking performance to power India to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20I at Hnry Stadium in Wellington on Tuesday, giving the visitors an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Abhishek unleashed a spectacular assault, smashing 113 off just 38 balls for his fourth T20I century as India chased down the target of 199 in only 13.2 overs.

The knock was also Abhishek’s 11th century in T20 cricket, making him the Indian player with the most centuries in the shortest format. He surpassed veteran batter Virat Kohli, who has 10 T20 centuries.

Abhishek now ranks third among players with the most T20 centuries, behind Chris Gayle with 22 and Babar Azam with 13.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, promoted to open the innings for the match, provided equally explosive support with 45 off 19 deliveries as India’s batters dismantled New Zealand’s depleted bowling attack.

India smashed 118 without loss in the first six overs, registering the highest team total in a men’s T20 International powerplay. The previous record was held by Romania, who scored 116 without loss against Serbia in 2021.

The Indian batters also crossed the 100-run mark in just five overs, the second-fastest team hundred in the format, behind Eswatini, who reached the milestone in 4.5 overs against Mozambique earlier this year.

India brought up their team fifty in just 2.2 overs, equalling the fastest such effort by any team. Papua New Guinea had achieved the same against Vanuatu, while Romania also reached the mark in 2.2 overs against Serbia.

New Zealand’s bowlers endured a difficult outing, with Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson already sidelined due to fitness issues. Returning pacers Kyle Jamieson and Matthew Fisher, along with captain Mitchell Santner, managed to claim wickets, but the damage had largely been done.

Jamieson dismissed Sooryavanshi for 45 in the eighth over before removing Abhishek in the 10th over. He later sent Sanju Samson back for 18, while Santner dismissed Shreyas Iyer for five in the 13th over after the Indian batter holed out to deep mid-wicket.

With the target within reach, Tilak Varma, who scored one, and Naman Dhir, who made four, completed the chase in the 14th over to seal India’s six-wicket victory.

Earlier, Daryl Mitchell struck a career-best T20I score of 89 not out off 52 balls to help New Zealand post 198/3 in their allotted 20 overs.

The hosts were well placed at 100/2 at the halfway stage, but India’s bowlers tightened their grip in the latter half of the innings, preventing New Zealand from crossing the 200-run mark.

Mitchell anchored the innings and remained unbeaten, while Bevon Jacobs contributed 39 off 23 balls. New Zealand were 123/3 after 12 overs and appeared poised for a late acceleration, but India’s bowlers adapted well to the conditions.

With the straight boundaries longer than the square boundaries, the visitors used fuller deliveries and yorkers effectively to restrict the scoring. New Zealand managed only 63 runs in the final seven overs as India employed four different bowlers during the death overs.

The victory gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, securing another T20I series triumph against New Zealand.

Brief scores: New Zealand 198/3 (Daryl Mitchell 89 not out, Finn Allen 40; Arshdeep Singh 1/33, Axar Patel 1/36) lost to India (Abhishek Sharma 113, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 45; Kyle Jamieson 2/45, Mitchell Santner 1/17) by six wickets.