Abhishek Sharma’s 35-Ball Century Powers India to T20I Series Win Over New Zealand

India did not just beat New Zealand in the third T20 International in Wellington. They chased down a target of 199 runs so quickly that the match was over long before the full 20 overs were needed.

The star of the night was Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 113 runs off just 38 balls. Alongside him, teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi attacked the New Zealand bowlers from the very beginning, scoring 45 off 19 deliveries.

Together, they added 133 runs for the first wicket in just 7.1 overs. India eventually reached 199 for four in 13.2 overs, winning by six wickets with 40 balls to spare.

The victory gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, with two matches still to play.

Abhishek Sharma turns the chase into a one-sided contest

Chasing 199 is never an easy task in T20 cricket. Teams usually need to keep scoring quickly while making sure they do not lose too many wickets.

Abhishek made it look remarkably simple.

He reached his half-century in just 15 balls and completed his century in 35 deliveries. He finished with 11 sixes and nine fours, showing how quickly a batter can change the course of a match when timing, confidence and shot selection all come together.

This was Abhishek’s fourth century in T20 Internationals. His innings also showed why he has become such a dangerous batter in the shortest format: he does not wait for the bowlers to make mistakes. He looks to put them under pressure from the start.

Even when New Zealand tried different lengths and lines, Abhishek continued finding gaps and clearing the boundaries.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gives India the perfect start

While Abhishek dominated the innings, Sooryavanshi made sure New Zealand had no time to settle.

The 15-year-old scored 45 from only 19 balls, striking four sixes and four fours. He attacked the bowlers with confidence and matched his opening partner’s aggressive approach.

Their partnership was particularly important because it removed the pressure that normally comes with chasing a big total. By the time Sooryavanshi was dismissed, India had already scored 133 runs in just over seven overs.

That gave the batters coming in plenty of freedom to finish the job.

India create a new powerplay record

The most remarkable part of the chase came during the first six overs.

India scored 118 runs without losing a wicket in the powerplay, setting a new record for the highest powerplay total in men's T20 International cricket.

To understand why that matters, the powerplay is the opening six overs of a T20 innings, when fielding restrictions leave fewer players protecting the boundary. Batters often use this period to score quickly, but reaching 118 runs in six overs is extraordinary.

India also reached 50 runs in only 2.2 overs and brought up 100 in just five overs.

At that point, New Zealand needed something special to stop the chase. Instead, India kept attacking and brought the required run rate down sharply.

New Zealand had a strong total, but it was not enough

Before India’s explosive chase, New Zealand had put up a competitive score of 198 for three in 20 overs.

Daryl Mitchell led the innings with an unbeaten 89 off 52 balls, while Finn Allen contributed 40. Bevon Jacobs also made an important contribution, remaining unbeaten on 39.

New Zealand had found ways to score boundaries and looked capable of putting India under pressure. But India’s bowlers tightened their control in the later overs, preventing the hosts from pushing their total even higher.

Nitish Kumar Reddy played an important role by dismissing Allen with a full, straight delivery. India’s fast bowlers also used the ground’s dimensions more effectively as the innings progressed, making it harder for New Zealand to score freely towards the end.

Even so, 198 was a total that could have challenged most teams. India’s batting simply made it look smaller than it was.

Why this series win matters

Winning a five-match series with two games remaining shows how strongly India have performed. The 3-0 lead also gives the team an opportunity to test combinations and manage players in the final two matches without the pressure of needing to win the series.

But the bigger talking point is India’s batting approach.

The team is showing a willingness to attack early, target gaps in the field and keep scoring even when the required run rate is high. Abhishek’s power-hitting and Sooryavanshi’s fearless start are clear examples of that approach.

It is not only about hitting sixes. It is also about reading the field, choosing the right deliveries to attack and putting bowlers under pressure before they can establish a rhythm.

The bottom line

India’s win in Wellington was a statement of batting strength. Abhishek Sharma’s 35-ball century and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s quick 45 helped India chase 199 in only 13.2 overs.

New Zealand had scored 198, with Mitchell leading the way, but India’s opening partnership changed the match almost immediately.

With the series now decided at 3-0, India have secured the result they wanted. The remaining matches will offer another chance to see whether this aggressive batting display can become a regular feature of their T20 game.