Tuesday, 27 October 2026 — India won the 3rd T20I by 6 wickets at Hnry Stadium, Wellington, reaching 199/4 in 13.2 overs. Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 89 had carried New Zealand to 198/3 in their 20 overs, but Abhishek Sharma's 113 off 38 balls made India's chase a comfortable one.
How the match unfolded
India won the toss and chose to field. New Zealand batted first and scored at 9.9 runs an over. Finn Allen made 40 off 25 balls, including five sixes, and Glenn Phillips added 17 off 14. Mitchell anchored the innings with five fours and five sixes in his 52 balls, and Bevon Jacobs finished unbeaten on 39 off 23.
India's bowling was expensive. Arshdeep Singh (1/33), Axar Patel (1/36) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/38) each took a wicket, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/40) and Prince Yadav (0/44) went for 10 and 11 an over. India also gave away four wides through Arshdeep Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
In reply, India passed 199 in 13.2 overs, a rate of 14.93 runs an over. Abhishek Sharma hit nine fours and 11 sixes, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made 45 off 19 balls. Sanju Samson (18) and Shreyas Iyer (5) were dismissed cheaply, but the chase kept pace. Kyle Jamieson took 2/45 in 3.2 overs, though he went for 13.5 an over, and Mitchell Santner (1/17) was the only New Zealand bowler to keep his figures tight.
The turning point
Ball-by-ball data is missing for some innings, and the record does not single out one moment, so this report does not name a single turning point. The scorecard does show where the match was decided. Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 158 between them off 57 balls, and once that scoring rate was established New Zealand's total of 198/3 was never likely to be enough.
Where India won it
Abhishek Sharma's innings was the decisive performance. His 113 came off 38 balls at a strike rate of 297, with nine fours and 11 sixes. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 45 off 19 balls kept the required rate under control in the early stages of the chase. New Zealand's bowlers had no answer to that scoring rate, and India finished the chase with more than 80 balls to spare.
Where New Zealand went wrong
New Zealand's batting was strong, with Mitchell and Finn Allen both scoring quickly, but the bowling let the total slip. Michael Bracewell (0/36 in 2 overs, 18 an over) and Jacob Duffy (0/44 in 2 overs, 22 an over) were both costly against an innings rate that ended at 14.93. New Zealand also bowled 12 wides and no-balls, which added runs and gave the chasing side extra deliveries. These were costly rather than careless moments, and Santner's control shows the bowling was capable of restricting India when it was on target.
Standout performers
- Abhishek Sharma (India): 113 off 38 balls, with nine fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 297.
- Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand): 89 not out off 52 balls, with five fours and five sixes.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (India): 45 off 19 balls, with four fours and four sixes.
- Mitchell Santner (New Zealand): 1/17 in 3 overs, an economy of 5.67.
- Finn Allen (New Zealand): 40 off 25 balls, with five sixes.