India sealed a dominant six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20I at Hnry Stadium on Tuesday, chasing down 199 in just 13.2 overs. New Zealand had posted 198 for 3, with Daryl Mitchell remaining unbeaten on 89 off 52 balls, but India's batting display proved too powerful. Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi combined for a devastating opening stand that set the tone for the chase, with the pair adding 118 runs without loss during the powerplay.
West Indies coach Daren Sammy responded to India's performance with a tweet that mixed acknowledgement of his own team's achievements against India with pointed observations about the conditions in New Zealand. Sammy's reaction highlighted the contrast between India's home series against West Indies and the current tour in Wellington.
"Wow…. That's why I praised my team for what they accomplished in India. India is a dangerous team," the former West Indies captain wrote.
He then added a numbered list of three factors he identified as shaping the contest: "1. Smaller boundaries 2. Batting paradise pitches 3. Wet ball for bowlers," presenting his assessment as explanation rather than compliment. Wellington's ground dimensions featured boundaries of approximately 60 metres, shorter than standard cricket venues. The venue's first-innings average stands at 153, yet even with these conditions, New Zealand's full-strength batting department had managed to post 198.
Abhishek Sharma's individual performance underscored the batting-friendly nature of the contest. The left-hander smashed 113 off just 38 balls, striking at a rate of 297. He reached his fifty in 15 deliveries and completed his hundred in 35 balls, equalling Rohit Sharma's record for the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter. Abhishek's innings featured nine fours and 11 sixes, dismantling the New Zealand bowling attack.
Sooryavanshi contributed 45 off 19 balls to the opening partnership, which established India's dominance before the middle order was required. Naman Dhir hit the winning boundary off Kyle Jamieson, securing the chase with 40 balls remaining. The powerplay total of 118 runs became the highest six-over aggregate in men's T20I history, surpassing Romania's 116 against Serbia in 2021 and Australia's 113 for 1 against Scotland.
Sammy's comments carried added weight given West Indies' recent performance against India at home. The bilateral series had ended 2-2 after the Bengaluru decider was washed out on October 17. West Indies had previously lost all three bilateral T20I series in India, winning only one match across seven contests. However, the drawn series marked a significant milestone by ending India's 12-series home winning streak. During that India tour, West Indies had chased 250 in Ranchi with nine balls to spare, the second-highest successful chase in T20I history, and made 247 for 3 in Hyderabad a week later. Shai Hope was named player of the series after scoring two unbeaten hundreds, with his second coming off 50 balls.
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India's Wellington victory extended their dominance in the five-match series against New Zealand, moving to 3-0 with two matches still to play.
