Wellington, October 27 (TNA) Abhishek Sharma smashed a spectacular 113 off 38 balls as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the third T20I to take an unassailable 3–0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing New Zealand’s imposing total of 198 for three, India reached the target in just 13.2 overs, producing one of the most dominant batting displays of the series.
Abhishek Leads Record Chase
Abhishek’s explosive innings included 11 sixes and nine fours. He reached his century from only 35 balls, registering his fourth T20I hundred and putting India firmly in control of the run chase. He was supported brilliantly by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who scored 45 from 19 deliveries. The opening pair added 133 runs in just 7.1 overs, giving India a flying start.
India crossed 100 runs in five overs and posted 118 runs during the powerplay, setting new benchmarks for their aggressive approach in T20 cricket.
New Zealand Posts 198
After losing the toss, New Zealand scored 198 for three in their 20 overs. Daryl Mitchell remained unbeaten on 89, while Finn Allen contributed 40 runs to give the hosts a strong platform. Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel claimed one wicket each for India. However, the total proved insufficient against India’s explosive opening partnership and rapid scoring rate.
India Seals Series
India completed the chase with six wickets in hand, winning the match with 40 balls to spare. The victory gave Shreyas Iyer’s side an unbeatable 3–0 advantage, with two matches remaining in the series.
The win also underlined India’s dominance in the contest, with their top order dismantling the New Zealand bowling attack in the powerplay. The remaining matches will now provide both teams an opportunity to test their bench strength ahead of future international assignments.