WEB DESK: India takes T20 series victory with an incredible performance from Abhishek against New Zealand.
India has secured a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand, following an eight-wicket victory in the third match in Guwahati on Sunday. Opener Abhishek Sharma delivered a remarkable performance, remaining unbeaten with a score of 68 off 20 balls.
Jasprit Bumrah was instrumental in India’s bowling efforts, taking three wickets for just 14 runs, which helped limit New Zealand to a total of 153-9 after India chose to field first at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
India completed the chase in a mere 10 overs, led by Abhishek’s explosive batting and support from skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 57 not out off 26 balls.
Abhishek’s fifty off just 14 balls, which included five sixes, marks him as the second-fastest Indian to achieve this milestone, following Yuvraj Singh’s record of 12 balls during the 2007 T20 World Cup. Suryakumar required only 25 balls for his second consecutive fifty of the series.
Earlier, Hardik Pandya made a significant impact by taking a spectacular catch to dismiss Devon Conway and subsequently claimed the wicket of Rachin Ravindra with his second delivery, sending New Zealand to a shaky 13-2 within the first 10 balls of their innings. Bumrah quickly followed up by dismissing Tim Seifert.
Although Glenn Phillips (48) and Mark Chapman (32) managed to stabilize the innings with a partnership of 52, spinner Ravi Bishnoi’s breakthroughs shifted the momentum back to India. Bumrah, bowling as a second-change option, took the wickets of Kyle Jamieson and New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner (27).
New Zealand’s Matt Henry dismissed Sanju Samson for a duck on his first delivery when they came out to defend their modest total. However, Ishan Kishan (28) responded aggressively, hitting Henry for consecutive sixes.
Abhishek initiated his innings with a six on the very first delivery he faced from Jacob Duffy, indicating India’s attacking approach despite the early loss of Samson. Kishan was dismissed shortly after India’s score crossed the 50-run mark in the fourth over, but Abhishek and Suryakumar’s 22 runs off a Duffy over propelled India to 100 by the seventh over.
The fourth match of the series is set to take place in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
