India produced a breathtaking batting display against New Zealand in the third T20I at Henry Stadium, Wellington, on Tuesday, October 27. Chasing a target of 200 runs, openers Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi launched an extraordinary assault, helping the Men in Blue break the record for the fastest team 100 in men’s T20I cricket.
India entered the contest with a 2-0 lead in the five-match series and had an opportunity to seal the series with another victory. After chasing down 226 runs in the opening match and winning a thrilling second encounter, the visitors continued their dominance with another remarkable performance.
New Zealand had set India a target of 200 after posting 199/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Daryl Mitchell led the hosts’ batting effort with a superb 89 off 52 deliveries. Finn Allen contributed 40 runs, while Bevon Jacobs added an important 39. Despite losing Tim Seifert early, the Black Caps recovered to put a competitive total on the board.
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However, India’s opening pair quickly turned the chase into a one-sided contest. Sooryavanshi attacked from the outset, while Abhishek Sharma matched his aggression with powerful strokes all around the ground. The New Zealand bowlers struggled to contain the relentless assault as the Indian batters dominated the powerplay.
India reached the 100-run mark in just five overs, surpassing South Africa’s previous record of five overs and three balls against the West Indies in Centurion in 2023. The achievement underlined the extraordinary pace of India’s innings. The visitors also registered a record powerplay score of 118/0 in the first six overs, surpassing Romania’s previous mark of 116/0 against Serbia in Sofia in 2021. The opening partnership kept punishing the New Zealand attack, putting India firmly on course for victory.
A RECORD POWERPLAY 💥
Most runs in a Powerplay (for Full Member nations)
118/0 – India vs New Zealand, Wellington, 2026
113/1 – Australia vs Scotland, Edinburgh, 2024
103/1 – Zimbabwe vs Gambia, Nairobi (RSC), 2024
102/0 – South Africa vs West Indies, Centurion, 2023
100/0 – England vs South Africa, Old Trafford, 2025
100/0 – India vs Afghanistan, Delhi, 2026— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) October 27, 2026
Record powerplay score: 118/0.
NZ must be glad Shreyas Iyer chose to bowl first. Otherwise, 300 was on the cards with India batting first.
Worse news for NZ: the next match is at even tiny Eden Park in Auckland. https://t.co/Exy45pntEo
— Ragav X (@ragav_x) October 27, 2026
Sooryavanshi smashed 45 off 15 deliveries, including four sixes and four boundaries, before he was dismissed. Abhishek, meanwhile, continued his aggressive approach and moved closer to a century as India raced towards the target.
The pair also stitched together a 133-run opening partnership in approximately seven overs, leaving New Zealand with little opportunity to regain control of the match.
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India reached 162/1 after nine overs, needing just 38 more runs to win the match and secure the series. Their extraordinary start put them in a commanding position to complete the chase comfortably.
The performance highlighted India’s explosive batting depth and the growing impact of young players such as Sooryavanshi. With Abhishek providing the perfect combination of timing and power, India’s record-breaking chase demonstrated why their aggressive approach has become such a major strength in T20I cricket.
