Watch: India smash 118/0 in the powerplay in NZ vs IND 3rd T20I in Wellington

When New Zealand posted a massive score of 198 runs batting first during the third T20I of the five-match series against India at the Hnry Stadium in Wellington, it felt like the visitors would give a tough task in the chase. But the new opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson smashed the highest T20I powerplay score of 118/0.  

It wasn’t an easy surface to bat on. The Kiwi batters struggled to start on the surface, where a few balls were holding up on the pitch. But when Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi came out to bat, things seemed to have changed as both the left-handed batters nailed the bowlers all around the park.

How India’s batters smashed 118/0 in the powerplay

The carnage started with two sixes and a boundary in the very first over of the chase as they raced away to 26 runs without any damage. Abhishek clubbed Adam Milne for two successive over boundaries, followed by a four in the second over before drilling two boundaries and one six against Michael Bracewell.

Watch the moment here- 

The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi wasn’t far from joining the party with a six against Bracewell. In just 15 balls, with a six on the fourth ball of the fourth over, Abhishek celebrated his fifty, which became the third joint-fastest T20I fifty among the Test nations.

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The blue brigade reached 100 runs in just five overs without any damage and went on to end the powerplay with 118/0, which is now the record powerplay score in the T20Is, breaking the previous one of Romania’s 116/0 against Serbia in 2021.

Among the full-member nations, India overtook Australia's record, which was set when Australia drilled 113/1 against Scotland in Edinburgh in 2024. Abhishek and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s opening stand ended on 133 runs in 7.1 overs. 

How India chased down the target against New Zealand

New Zealand ended their allotted 20 overs with 198 runs for the loss of three wickets, as Daryl Mitchell remained unbeaten on 89 runs off 52 balls at a strike rate of 171.15 with five boundaries and as many sixes, as he put up a fine undefeated stand of 75 runs off 48 balls with Bevon Jacobs remained unbeaten on 39 runs off 23 balls.

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Sooryavanshi nailed 45 runs off 19 balls with four boundaries and as many sixes, while Abhishek celebrated his century in 35 balls with 10 sixes and eight boundaries at a strike rate of 294.29.

Brief Scores: India 199/4 (Abhishek Sharma 113, Kyle Jamiseon 2/45) beat New Zealand 198/3 (Daryl Mitchell 89*, Arshdeep Singh 1/33) by 6-wickets.