India beat New Zealand by six wickets in the third T20I in Wellington on Tuesday, chasing a target of 199 in 13.2 overs with 40 balls remaining. Opener Abhishek Sharma scored 113 runs off 38 deliveries to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The left-handed batter hit 11 sixes and nine fours in his innings.
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Opening Partnership Sets Chase Tempo
Sharma and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opened the batting for India and attacked the New Zealand bowling from the first over. Bowler Jacob Duffy conceded 26 runs in the opening over, followed by 17 and 21 runs in the second and third overs. India reached 64 without loss after three overs. The scoring pace continued through the Powerplay: India scored 20 runs in the fourth over, 16 in the fifth, and 18 in the sixth to reach 118 without loss after six overs. Sharma reached his fifty off 15 balls during this spell.
Matthew Fisher dismissed Sooryavanshi in the eighth over for 45 runs off 19 deliveries, an innings that included four sixes and four fours. Sharma and Sooryavanshi’s opening partnership produced a run rate of 18.13. According to the match report, this is the highest run rate for a century opening stand involving full-member nations in men’s T20Is.
Supplemental cricket scene for Abhishek Sharma Hits 35-Ball Century as India Clinch T20I Series Against New Zealand.
Supplemental cricket scene for Abhishek Sharma Hits 35-Ball Century as India Clinch T20I Series Against New Zealand.
Century Completion and Middle Order Finish
Sharma brought up his hundred off 35 balls against Kyle Jamieson in the 10th over. Jamieson eventually dismissed Sharma for 113 off 38 deliveries. Sanju Samson batted alongside Sharma during the middle overs, taking the total to 156 for 1 after eight overs. Shreyas Iyer and Samson fell towards the end of the innings, but India passed the target in 13.2 overs.
Kyle Jamieson took two wickets for New Zealand. Matthew Fisher and Mitchell Santner took one wicket each. No New Zealand bowler finished with an economy rate below 12 runs per over during the match.
New Zealand Innings Overview
New Zealand posted 198 for 3 after India chose to bowl first. Daryl Mitchell anchored the innings with 89 not out off 52 balls. Bevon Jacobs contributed 39 runs off 23 deliveries, and the pair shared an unbeaten 75-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Supplemental cricket scene for Abhishek Sharma Hits 35-Ball Century as India Clinch T20I Series Against New Zealand.
Arshdeep Singh dismissed opener Tim Seifert for two runs early in the innings. Finn Allen and Mitchell then put on 86 runs before Nitish Kumar Reddy removed Allen for 40 off 25 balls, an innings that included five sixes. Glenn Phillips played his 100th T20I match and scored 17 runs before Axar Patel dismissed him in the 12th over. Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, and Nitish Kumar Reddy took one wicket each for India. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished without a wicket.
Match Scorecard Summary
| Team | Total | Overs | Wickets Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 198 | 20 | 3 |
| India | 199 | 13.2 | 4 |
T20I Chase Context
The successful chase of 199 with 40 balls remaining ranks among the fastest completed chases of a target of at least 190 in T20 cricket involving full-member nations. It beat India’s previous record against New Zealand in Raipur earlier in 2026, when India chased 209 with 28 balls to spare. Sharma’s 35-ball century puts him among the fastest centurions in T20Is involving full-member teams. Sharma also scored a 30-ball century against Afghanistan in Delhi earlier in 2026. The International Cricket Council maintains additional match records and player statistics.
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