IND vs NZ 2026: New Zealand players check Abhishek Sharma’s bat after Guwahati blitzkrieg

Abhishek Sharma. (Photo Source: Francois Nel/Getty Images)

Abhishek Sharma continued his purple patch in the shortest format as he smashed a 14-ball half-century in the third T20I against New Zealand at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, January 26. The opening batter eventually finished unbeaten on 68 off 20 balls, helping India chase down a 154-run target in just 10 overs, with eight wickets to spare.

Abhishek belted seven fours and five sixes during his scintillating innings on Sunday. At the end of his knock, his strike rate read a mind-boggling 340. This was the second half-century in the series for the 25-year-old. He had scored a 35-ball 84 in the first T20I in Nagpur.

After his splendid knock, the New Zealand cricketers walked up to him and curiously looked at his bat. A picture of that moment took social media by storm after the one-sided encounter came to an end.

After the match, Abhishek reflected on scoring a 14-ball fifty and how the Indian dressing helps him play such audacious knocks.

“(On his 14-ball fifty) That’s what my team wants from me, and I just want to execute all the time. But obviously, it’s not easy to do it every time, but I think it’s all about mental as well and the atmosphere you get around your dressing room as well,” he added.

Abhishek has had a fantastic start to international cricket. In 36 T20Is, he has amassed 1267 runs at an average of 38.39 and a strike rate of 195.23. The left-handed batter has eight fifties and two centuries to his name.

Meanwhile, the hosts took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after winning the third T20I on Sunday. The last two matches will be played in Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram on January 28 and 31, respectively.

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