Abhishek Sharma smashed his fourth T20I hundred off 35 balls as India beat New Zealand by six wicket to take unassailable 3-0 lead in T20I series in Wellington on Tuesday.
Published: October 27, 2026, 3:47 PM IST
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Team India opener Abhishek Sharma blasted a 35-ball century vs New Zealand in 3rd T20I match in Wellington on Tuesday(Source: X)
IND vs NZ 2026 3rd T20: Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi put up a vintage display of power-hitting to completely overwhelm New Zealand to seal a T20I series win for Team IndiaAbhishek smashed his fourth T20I hundred off just 35 balls to make a mockery of 199-run target set by the Black Caps in the third T20I match at the Hnry Stadium in Wellington on Tuesday to post a six-wicket win.
Indian openers Abhishek and Sooryavanshi broke the world record for most runs in Powerplay overs, smashing 118 runs in the first six oversThe 15-year-old batter opened the innings in the third T20I after being sent into bat at the No3 position in the second match last week.
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But Sooryavanshi had to ironically play the support act to Abhishek Sharma, who put up a display of outrageous power in his knock of 113 off 38 balls with 11 sixes and 9 foursThe World No2 T20I batter equalled the record of David Miller and Rohit Sharma with his 35-ball ton – the third-fastest T20I century (match between Test playing nations).
Abhishek Sharma, who was retained for Rs 14 crore by Kavya Maran’s Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of IPL 2026 season, holds the record for fastest T20I ton – off 30 balls against Afghanistan in New Delhi earlier this yearThe Indian openers gave an indication of the fireworks to come, smashing 26 runs off Jacob Duffy’s first over.
WATCH Abhishek Sharma’s blazing century in 3rd T20I vs New Zealand HERE…
That wristwork deserves a standing ovation!
Watch the HERO VIDA India Tour of New Zealand, 3rd T20I, LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels, Sony LIV & Sony Vizha.
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— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) October 27, 2026
ABHISHEK SHARMA, YOU ABSOLUTE MENACE!
A 35-ball hundredLet that sink in!
Watch the HERO VIDA India Tour of New Zealand, 3rd T20I, LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels, Sony LIV & Sony Vizha.
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Abhishek then added 17 more runs with a couple of sixes against Adam Milne in the second over and bought up India’s team fifty in just 2.2 over – the fastest-ever by any Test playing nation in T20I cricketSooryavanshi appeared almost pedestrian during his knock of 45 off 19 balls with 4 sixes and 4 fours.
But the Rajasthan Royals opener played his role to perfection, putting on 133 runs for the opening wicket with Abhishek Sharma in just 7.1 oversAbhishek at the other end, raced to his fifty off only 15 balls with six sixes and four fours.
No New Zealand bowler was spared when Abhishek Sharma and Sooryavanshi were in the middleMatthew Fisher went for 23 in his opening over, Duffy leaked 44 runs in first 2 overs, Milne went for 33 in 2 and even off-spinner Michael Bracewell was taken for 36 in two overs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is putting on a show Wellington won’t forget anytime soon!
Watch the HERO VIDA India Tour of New Zealand, 3rd T20I, LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels, Sony LIV & Sony Vizha.
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— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) October 27, 2026
Abhishek’s 15-ball fifty was also the joint 4th fastest fifty in a T20I match between two Test playing nationsHe equalled the record of teammate Shivam Dube and South Africa’s Quinton de KockThe record for fastest T20I fifty belongs to Yuvraj Singh off 12 balls against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Fastest T20I hundreds (featuring Test Playing Nations)
| Balls | Name | Country | Vs | Venue | Year |
| 30 | Abhishek Sharma | India | Afghanistan | Delhi | 2026 |
| 33 | Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | Gambia | Nairobi (Ruaraka) | 2024 |
| 33 | Finn Allen | New Zealand | South Africa | Kolkata | 2026 |
| 35 | David Miller | South Africa | Bangladesh | Potchefstroom | 2017 |
| 35 | Rohit Sharma | India | Sri Lanka | Indore | 2017 |
| 35 | Abhishek Sharma | India | New Zealand | Wellington | 2026 |
The tremendous onslaught meant that India’s hundred came up in only 5 overs, the fastest-ever by Test playing nation in T20I format, breaking the record of South Africa who had bought up a ton in 5.3 overs against West Indies at Centurion in 2023.
Abhishek Sharma reached his fourth T20I century with a four off Kyle Jamieson in the 10th over of the innings and celebrated reaching the landmark with a six and a four in the next two balls but fell while attempting another six in the same over for 113.
The Indian opener now has 11 hundreds in men’s T20 cricket – the third highest by any batter behind Chris Gayle’s 22 and Pakistan batter Babar Azam’s 13Indians lost a couple of wickets of captain Shreyas Iyer (5) and Sanju Samson (18) but completed the chase with more than 6 overs to spare with six wickets in hand.
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell top-scored with unbeaten 89 off 52 balls with 5 sixes and 5 fours while Bevon Jacobs chipped in with 39 not out off 23 balls with 1 six and 4 fours to post 198 for 3 after being sent into bat first by Shreyas IyerThe fourth T20I between India and New Zealand will take place at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.
