India crushed New Zealand by eight wickets in the third T20I of the five-match series at Guwahati. After being asked to bat, New Zealand posted 153/9 in 20 overs. Glenn Phillips was the highest scorer for New Zealand, while Mark Chapman and Mitchell Santner also made useful contributions. Jasprit Bumrah (3/17 in 4 overs) and Ravi Bishnoi (2/18 in 4 overs) took key wickets and did not allow the New Zealand batters to score freely.
While chasing, India lost Sanju Samson early, but the storm was yet to come. Abhishek Sharma attacked the New Zealand bowlers at will and completed his half-century in just 14 balls. Suryakumar Yadav kept scoring freely from the other end. They made the chase look effortless as India reached the target with 60 balls to spare. India now hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
Early Strikes Set the Tone
India started strongly with the ball. Harshit Rana struck in the very first over. Soon after, Bumrah made an immediate impact by knocking over the off stump with his first delivery.
Despite losing Sanju Samson for a golden duck, India quickly took control while chasing. Kishan and Abhishek attacked from the outset, hitting boundaries in their opening overs. From that moment, India never looked under pressure.
Abhishek’s Explosive Knock Steals the Show
Abhishek Sharma delivered a breathtaking performance. He smashed India’s second-fastest T20I half-century, reaching the milestone in just 14 balls. New Zealand tried bowling at his pads to cramp him for room, but the plan backfired badly.
Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav quietly continued his return to form. Although less flashy than Abhishek, he played a crucial role with an unbeaten 57 off 26 balls, keeping the chase on track.
Harshit and Hardik Rock New Zealand Early
After the previous match, Mitchell Santner had joked that teams need 300 runs against “these guys”. Devon Conway seemed to follow that mindset, even though he had already fallen to Harshit Rana four times on this tour.
However, Conway once again failed. He mistimed a shot to mid-off, where Hardik Pandya took a stunning overhead catch. In the very next over, Hardik created another opportunity with a short ball, allowing Bishnoi to dismiss Rachin Ravindra.
Bishnoi and Bumrah Tighten the Noose
India handed Bishnoi a crucial role in the powerplay, similar to what Varun Chakravarthy usually does. Bishnoi responded brilliantly. His unusual action and sharp trajectory allowed him to concede just one run in the fifth over.
At 34 for 2, New Zealand needed momentum. Instead, Bumrah struck again. He bowled with pace and precision, forcing Tim Seifert to play down the wrong line and lose his off stump without taking any risk.
Phillips and Mark Chapman tried to rebuild. They cautiously navigated the early middle overs before attacking Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube to reach 75 for 3 at the halfway mark.
However, once Bumrah and Bishnoi returned, the collapse followed. Bishnoi removed Chapman with a 105kph delivery that did not turn, ending a 52-run stand. After that, wickets fell regularly as New Zealand batters were forced into risky shots.
Santner’s 27 off 17 balls pushed New Zealand past 150. Even so, the total looked well below par on a good batting pitch.
Kishan and Abhishek Destroy the Chase
New Zealand briefly found hope when Samson fell on the first ball. However, Kishan crushed that optimism immediately. After one sighter, he smashed Matt Henry for 6, 6 and 4, setting the tone.
Abhishek then joined the assault. He charged down the pitch to Jacob Duffy and launched him over midwicket. Two more boundaries followed in quick succession.
Together, Kishan and Abhishek added 53 runs in just 19 balls. Kishan eventually fell for 28 off 13 balls, undone by a flipper from Ish Sodhi.
Abhishek and Suryakumar Seal It in Style
By the time Kishan departed, Abhishek had already raced to 23 off six balls. New Zealand tried bowling outside leg stump, but Abhishek countered by stepping out or backing away to hit over the off side.
He even pulled one over fine leg for six just to vary his strokeplay. Soon, he brought up his half-century inside the powerplay.
Abhishek missed Yuvraj Singh’s record by just two balls. At 94 for 2, India also fell one run short of their highest-ever powerplay score.
After that, Suryakumar took charge. He dominated the strike and punished every loose delivery. His trademark flick over backward square leg stood out, but he was equally fluent through the off side.
In the end, India completed a thorough and commanding victory, with every piece of the puzzle falling perfectly into place.