Abhishek Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Pandya bulldoze NZ as India claim T20I series

India crush New Zealand to take 3-0 lead [Source: @BCCI/x]

Team India blew away New Zealand in the third T20I to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Comeback men Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi went on a wicket-spree with the ball, before Abhishek Sharma charted a record half-century to make lightwork of New Zealand’s total.

Here, we take a look at the entire highlights from the third T20I of the five-match series between India and New Zealand, as it panned out at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, January 25.

Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Bishnoi restrict NZ to 153

India’s new ball pacemen Harshit Rana (1-35) and Hardik Pandya accounted for a wicket each in their respective opening overs to jolt New Zealand at 13-2. While Harshit trapped Devon Conway for a single in the third ball of the match, Hardik dismissed number three Rachin Ravindra for just four.

Tim Seifert also got knocked over by India’s comeback man and senior fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah inside the powerplay for a near run-a-ball 12. Tottering at 34-3, Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman composed a fighting 52-run partnership for the fourth wicket to script New Zealand’s recovery. Phillips top-scored in the innings with his 48-run knock from 40 balls.

Chapman also listed 32 from 23 balls with two boundaries and two sixes before both well-set batters were dismissed in quick succession by ace Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2-18) in the middle overs. Hardik Pandya landed his second wicket of the evening in the form of New Zealand run machine Daryl Mitchell (14 off 8) to claim impressive three-over figures of 2-23.

Brought back for the slog overs, Jasprit Bumrah knocked over Kyle Jamieson for just three and visiting skipper Mitchell Santner to unfurl the spell of the innings with 3-17 from his four. For New Zealand, Santner swung his bat and struck a few in his 17-ball 27 to steer his side to a competitive 153-9 in 20 overs.

Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav wrap up chase in 10 overs

Indian opener Sanju Samson once again struggled to make the most of his newfound opportunity at the top of the order as the wicketkeeper-batter was knocked over by Matt Henry off the first ball of the run-chase.

However, his opening partner Abhishek Sharma and number three Ishan Kishan negated India’s early setback with a blistering 53-run partnership in just 19 balls for the second wicket. Kishan himself exploded with 28 off 13 deliveries with three fours and two sixes before mistiming one off Ish Sodhi.

Abhishek Sharma raged on to form another 102-run partnership, this time with skipper Suryakumar Yadav in just 40 balls. The attacking opener slapped 68* from 20 balls with seven boundaries and five sixes, and raced to his fifty in just 14 to record India’s second-fastest T20I half-century.

Suryakumar remained unbeaten at 57* off 26 as Team India soared past New Zealand in just 10 overs with eight wickets to spare.