Abhishek Sharma Hits 113 in 35 Balls, India Wins Series 3-0

India wrapped up the T20I series by chasing 199 with six wickets in hand, Abhishek Sharma delivering a blistering 113 off 35 balls that finished the chase with 40 balls to spare.\n

He smashed 11 sixes and nine fours, building a 133‑run stand with teenage partner Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who added 45 off 19 balls in the first 7.1 overs. The partnership set a tone that New Zealand could not recover from.\n

Yuvraj Singh’s playful jibe—referencing his own 12‑ball half‑century against England in 2007—prompted Sharma to chuckle, saying, “You can’t just score 50 off 12 balls; it happens once in a while.” He added that even Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee’s 9‑ball fifty in 2023 was a rare feat.\n

The opener stressed that the team’s priority was victory, not individual milestones. “We never chase personal records; we chase wins,” Sharma said, echoing his mentor’s ethos.\n

With the series secured, India will carry that momentum into the last two matches: the fourth T20I at Eden Park on Friday and the final game at Seddon Park on Sunday, a clean sweep still within reach.