Abhishek Sharma’s Century Leads India to Series Win Over New Zealand

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 28, 2026

India clinched a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20 match in Wellington, propelled by a record-breaking 133-run opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. This dominant win puts India firmly ahead 3-0 in the five-match series, leaving New Zealand needing to win both remaining games to avoid a series loss.

India secured a 3-0 lead in their five-match T20 series against New Zealand after a commanding six-wicket victory in the third game held in Wellington on Tuesday. Chasing a target of 198 runs, India reached the total in just 13.2 overs, powered by an aggressive opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The pair combined for a rapid 133-run stand in only 7.1 overs, dismantling the New Zealand bowling attack and setting a record for one of the most explosive opening partnerships in Twenty20 international cricket. Abhishek Sharma scored an unbeaten 113 off 38 balls, which included nine boundaries and eleven sixes. His innings earned a standing ovation before he was eventually dismissed by Kyle Jamieson. Sooryavanshi contributed 45 runs from 19 balls, hitting four fours and as many sixes, after being promoted to open following his role as number three in the previous match.

India captain Shreyas Iyer praised the pair’s performance, highlighting the unprecedented pace of scoring and the positive momentum they brought from the outset. Abhishek credited their success to enjoying their time at the crease and adapting to the pitch conditions, noting that they observed extra bounce which they exploited from early on.

Earlier in the innings, New Zealand’s bowling struggled to contain the Indian batsmen, with Jacob Duffy conceding 26 runs in his first over. New Zealand had posted 197-6, bolstered by an 86-run partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Finn Allen for the second wicket. Mitchell was the top scorer with 89 runs from 52 balls, featuring a mix of boundary hitting that included five fours and five sixes. Allen contributed a quick 40 runs off 25 deliveries before his dismissal. Bevon Jacobs added an unbeaten 39 from 23 balls in the lower order.

India won the toss and elected to bowl first for the third consecutive match, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh making early inroads by exploiting seam movement on the Wellington pitch. Despite this, New Zealand managed to set a competitive total.

With this win, India has taken an unbeatable lead in the series with two games remaining. The fourth T20 match is scheduled for Friday at Eden Park in Auckland.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.