Abhishek Sharma smashed 113 off 38 balls as India chased down 199 in just 13.2 overs to beat New Zealand by 6 wickets in Wellington, taking a 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
Updated: October 28, 2026, 12:15 PM IST
Quick Read:
- New Zealand scored 198 for 3, led by Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 89 off 52 balls. India chased it in 13.2 overs, losing 4 wickets.
- Abhishek Sharma hit 113 off 38 balls, with a 15-ball fifty and a 35-ball century — 11 sixes and 9 fours.
- India set two records: the fastest team 100 in five overs, and the highest powerplay score ever, 118 for no loss.
A chase that ended before it started
New Zealand’s 198 for 3 looked like a real total. It lasted about seven overs as a contest. Then Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took it apart. India won the toss and chose to bowl at Wellington’s Westpac Trust Stadium on October 27. New Zealand finished on 198 for 3 in 20 overs. Daryl Mitchell top-scored with 89 not out off 52 balls. Finn Allen made 40 off 25, and Bevon Jacobs finished unbeaten on 39 off 23. India’s reply was brutal. The first over, bowled by Jacob Duffy, went for 26 runs. By the end of the powerplay, India had 118 for no loss — the highest powerplay score in men’s T20I history, and the fastest team 100, reached in five overs.
Also read: India vs New Zealand 3rd T20I preview
Abhishek’s innings, ball by ball in brief
Abhishek Sharma, the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, reached his fifty in 15 balls. He reached his century in 35 balls. He finished on 113 off 38 balls, with 11 sixes and 9 fours, before Glenn Phillips caught him. He celebrated the century with his trademark meditation pose, as the New Zealand players and the crowd watched in disbelief, PTI reported. Sportstar’s report put it plainly: his hitting made even Sooryavanshi “look like a bystander at times”. Sooryavanshi, 15 years old, was anything but quiet himself: 45 off 18 balls, with four sixes. The opening stand was 133 in seven overs — a partnership that ended the match as a contest before the halfway mark of the chase. India finished on 199 for 4 in 13.2 overs, winning by 6 wickets with 40 balls to spare. Arshdeep Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel took one wicket each for India.
What the win means
India now lead the five-match series 3-0, with two matches still to play. This is also a hat-trick of T20I series wins on New Zealand soil for India, after 5-0 in 2020 and 1-0 in 2022, PTI noted. The records matter for a reason beyond the highlight reel. A powerplay score of 118 and a team 100 in five overs are not just big numbers — they show a batting approach built on attacking from ball one, with two openers who both clear the ropes. New Zealand’s bowlers had no quiet over to regroup in, and the chase never slowed enough for pressure to build. For the remaining two matches, the question flips: does India rest players and test the bench with the series already won, or keep the same XI to chase a 5-0 sweep? That call belongs to the team management, and this post does not guess it. The series finale is previewed in India eye 4-1 finish in Hamilton 5th T20I.
Also read: Tilak, Reddy’s stand wins 2nd T20I
FAQ
Q: What was the result of the 3rd T20I?
A: India beat New Zealand by 6 wickets in Wellington on October 27, chasing 199 in 13.2 overs. India lead the five-match series 3-0.
Q: How fast was Abhishek Sharma’s century?
A: He reached fifty in 15 balls and a century in 35 balls, finishing on 113 off 38 balls with 11 sixes and 9 fours.
Q: What records did India set?
A: The fastest team 100 in men’s T20I history (five overs) and the highest powerplay score ever (118 for no loss). The opening stand of 133 in seven overs was also the platform for the win.
Sources: PTI via NDTV Sports and Sportstar (October 27, 2026); match scorecard (NZ 198/3, IND 199/4 in 13.2 overs).
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