India continued their T20I dominance over New Zealand with an emphatic eight-wicket victory, securing an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series with two matches still to play. After restricting New Zealand to 153 for 9, India raced to 155 for 2 with ten overs remaining, powered by blistering unbeaten knocks from Abhishek Sharma (68 off 28 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (57 off 26).
The bowlers laid the foundation early. Harshit Rana struck in the first over, while Jasprit Bumrah produced a trademark peach first ball to knock over Tim Seifert’s off stump. Ravi Bishnoi was equally effective in the powerplay, conceding little and removing key batters with his skiddy leg-spin. Together, Bumrah and Bishnoi finished with five wickets for just 35 runs, keeping New Zealand under constant pressure. Glenn Phillips top-scored with 48, and Mitchell Santner added a late 27, but regular wickets meant the visitors never truly built momentum and were left with a total that looked below par on a good batting surface.
India’s chase began with a brief hiccup when Sanju Samson fell first ball, but any hopes New Zealand had were quickly erased by Ishan Kishan and Abhishek. Kishan attacked from the outset, taking apart Matt Henry, while Abhishek launched into Jacob Duffy and never eased off. The pair added 53 in just 19 balls, setting the tone for a runaway chase.
After Kishan’s quickfire 28, Abhishek shifted into another gear. He repeatedly charged the bowlers, hitting over both sides of the wicket, and brought up India’s second-fastest T20I fifty in just 14 deliveries — inside the powerplay. His onslaught left New Zealand scrambling for answers and effectively decided the contest before the halfway mark.
Suryakumar then took control, showcasing his trademark wristy flicks and fluent off-side play as he guided India home without fuss. The ease of the victory underlined India’s remarkable run in the format and highlighted the depth in their squad as they continue preparations to defend their world title at home.
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