India clinch T20 series against New Zealand after Abhishek Sharma’s Wellington century
India chased 199 in 13.2 overs to win the third T20 international by six wickets and take an unassailable lead in the five-match series.
India beat New Zealand by six wickets in Wellington on 27 October to clinch their five-match T20 international series with two games remaining, NZ Herald reported. Chasing 199 in the third match, India reached the target in 13.2 overs after Abhishek Sharma struck 113 from 38 balls.
The speed of the chase turned New Zealand’s 198-3 into an inadequate total. India finished with 40 balls to spare, after its opening pair of Abhishek and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi put on 133 runs. AFP reported that the partnership lasted just 7.1 overs.
Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set the pace
Abhishek hit nine fours and 11 sixes and reached his century in the tenth over. Sooryavanshi, promoted to open after batting at number three in the second T20I, scored 45 from 19 balls, with four fours and four sixes. India had raced to 118 without loss by the end of the six-over powerplay, according to NZ Herald.
AFP reported that Jacob Duffy’s first over cost 26 runs. Abhishek said the pair had noticed extra bounce while fielding and that Sooryavanshi’s fast start gave them momentum. India captain Shreyas Iyer called their batting ‘exceptional’, saying he had not previously seen a side reach 100 in five overs at international level.
New Zealand dismissed Sooryavanshi in the eighth over, with Matt Fisher taking the wicket after India had reached 133-1. Abhishek later fell with India on 178-2, leaving the remaining batters a modest task. NZ Herald reported that New Zealand had also failed to defend totals in the first two matches, though those defeats went to the final over.
How New Zealand reached 198-3
Daryl Mitchell made an unbeaten 89 from 52 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes. AFP reported that he shared an 86-run stand with Finn Allen, who scored 40 from 25 balls. Bevon Jacobs then contributed an unbeaten 39 from 23 deliveries. Those innings gave New Zealand a substantial target, but India’s opening surge reduced the required rate to less than a run a ball by the end of the powerplay.
India had won the toss and chosen to bowl for the third time in three matches, AFP reported. The fourth T20 international is scheduled for Friday, 30 October, at Eden Park in Auckland. The series result is already settled; New Zealand have the remaining two matches to play after losing the opening three.
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Sources and context
- Black Caps bowlers humiliated as India waltz to T20 series victoryNZ Herald (Alex Powell)
- Abhishek, Sooryavanshi give India record-breaking T20 win over New ZealandAFP, republished by Al Jazeera
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.