India Defeats New Zealand in Wellington to Sweep T20I Series
Abhishek Sharma smashed a brilliant century as India secured a six-wicket victory in the third match at Sky Stadium.
India clinched a 3–0 sweep in the Twenty20 International series against New Zealand following a dominant six-wicket victory in the third match on Wednesday at Sky Stadium in Wellington. Winning the toss, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer elected to bowl first under the lights, limiting the hosts to 198 for three in their allotted 20 overs.
New Zealand built a competitive total on the back of an unbeaten 89 off 52 balls from Daryl Mitchell and a late surge by Bevon Jacobs, who finished not out with 39 off 23 deliveries. Despite early breakthroughs by Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy, the Black Caps established a steady scoring rate, passing the 100-run mark at the halfway point of their innings.
Chasing a target of 199, India altered its opening lineup by promoting young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi alongside Abhishek Sharma, leaving Sanju Samson down the order. The tactical adjustment paid immediate dividends as the two openers dismantled New Zealand's bowling attack during a historic powerplay.
The visitors raced to 118 without loss after six overs, setting a new record for the highest powerplay score in T20I history. Sooryavanshi contributed a quickfire 45 off 19 deliveries before being caught by Daryl Mitchell off Matthew Fisher in the eighth over, ending a explosive 133-run opening partnership.
Abhishek continued the assault, bringing up a sensational century and finishing with 113 runs off just 38 balls, featuring nine fours and eleven sixes. Kyle Jamieson eventually removed Abhishek on the final delivery of the tenth over, caught by Glenn Phillips at deep mid-wicket, with the team total already at 178 for two.
India reached the target with 40 balls to spare, sealing the win at 199 for four. The aggressive batting display broke multiple records, including the fastest team century in T20I cricket, achieved in just five overs, surpassing previous marks set by Romania.
With the win, India secured the series 3–0, carrying forward strong momentum from their earlier victories in Christchurch. The team relied on a combination of disciplined bowling in the first half and a record-shattering batting performance to comfortably seal the tour.