Abhishek's 113 powers India to record-breaking chase, seal series 3-0
Wellington, Oct 27 (UNI) Abhishek Sharma produced a breathtaking 38-ball 113 as India crushed New Zealand by six wickets in the third T20 International here on Tuesday, chasing down a formidable 199-run target in just 13.2 overs to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
India finished at 199 for four, with 40 balls to spare, after posting a record 118 runs in the powerplay, the highest powerplay total in men's T20 Internationals. The visitors' extraordinary start effectively settled the contest inside the first six overs, with Abhishek and young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi launching an assault that left the New Zealand bowlers struggling for answers.
Abhishek struck nine fours and 11 sixes at a phenomenal strike rate of 297.37, combining clean hitting with audacious strokeplay to dismantle the attack. He reached his half-century off just 15 balls and brought up his century in 35 deliveries, making the most of a difficult afternoon for New Zealand's bowlers. The left-hander was particularly destructive through the cover region, repeatedly backing away to create room and sending deliveries over the infield. His assault extended across the bowling attack, with Jacob Duffy, Adam Milne, Michael Bracewell and Kyle Jamieson all coming under sustained pressure. India could hardly have asked for a more explosive start.
Abhishek and Sooryavanshi plundered 26 runs off Duffy in the opening over, immediately putting the hosts on the defensive. The pair maintained the momentum against Milne and Bracewell, racing to 100 in just five overs and taking India to 118 at the end of the powerplay. Sooryavanshi, playing alongside a new opening partner, matched Abhishek's aggressive approach with a 19-ball 45, including four fours and four sixes.
The opening stand yielded 133 runs in just 43 deliveries before Matthew Fisher dismissed the youngster in the eighth over. Daryl Mitchell ran in from long-on and completed a well-judged catch as Sooryavanshi attempted to clear the infield. New Zealand had an opportunity to break Abhishek's charge when he was on 87, but captain Mitchell Santner dropped a difficult catch off Fisher in the eighth over. Running backwards from mid-off, Santner struggled to judge the swirling ball and could not hold on despite getting both hands to it. The reprieve proved costly. Abhishek continued his assault, reaching his century off 35 balls and taking India to 178 in just 10 overs.
He eventually departed for 113, caught by Glenn Phillips at deep mid-wicket off Jamieson, but the outcome was virtually decided by then. Sanju Samson made 18 off 13 balls before being bowled by Jamieson, while captain Shreyas Iyer scored five before falling to Santner, caught by Phillips at deep mid-wicket. Jamieson claimed both wickets in a late attempt to slow the chase, but India were already within touching distance of victory.
Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on one, while Naman Dhir finished on four not out, sealing the win with a boundary off Jamieson in the 14th over. India reached 199 for four in 13.2 overs at a run rate of 14.92. For New Zealand, Jamieson took two wickets for 45 runs in 3.2 overs, while Fisher and Santner claimed one wicket each. Duffy conceded 44 runs in two overs, Milne gave away 33, and Bracewell leaked 36 in their respective two-over spells. Earlier, Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 89 off 52 balls and Bevon Jacobs' unbeaten 39 off 23 deliveries had lifted New Zealand to 198 for three after India won the toss and elected to bowl.
Mitchell struck five fours and five sixes, anchoring the innings after Finn Allen's brisk 40 off 25 balls, which included five sixes. Jacobs provided the late acceleration, with the pair adding an unbeaten 75-run stand for the fourth wicket. For India, Arshdeep Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel took one wicket each, restricting New Zealand to 198 despite the late flourish. The emphatic victory gave India an unassailable 3-0 advantage in the series, with Abhishek's remarkable century and the record-breaking powerplay emerging as the defining features of a dominant performance.
UNI BDN
