INDIA sealed the T20 series with an eight-wicket win over New Zealand in the third match on Sunday, helped by their bowlers and a 14-ball fifty from opener Abhishek Sharma.
India restricted New Zealand to 153-9 after choosing to field first in Guwahati, with Jasprit Bumrah returning figures of 3-17 and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi taking 2-18.
Abhishek then scored an unbeaten 68 off 20 balls, while captain Suryakumar Yadav made 57 not out, as India chased down the target with 10 overs remaining to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
It was India’s ninth consecutive T20 series win.
The series is a warm-up ahead of the T20 World Cup starting on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
"This is the brand of cricket which we want to play, irrespective of our batting first or chasing," said Suryakumar. "For example, if we are 24 for 3 or 44 for 4 tomorrow, we know how to bat."
New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry dismissed Sanju Samson with the first ball of India’s chase, but the hosts recovered through Ishan Kishan and Abhishek, who hit several fours and sixes.
The pair added 53 runs off 19 balls before Kishan was dismissed for 28 by Ish Sodhi. Abhishek then went on to record India’s second-fastest fifty in the format.
Abhishek missed his mentor Yuvraj Singh’s record for India’s fastest T20 fifty by two balls. Yuvraj reached the milestone in 12 balls in 2007.
Abhishek continued the chase with Suryakumar, who brought up his second successive fifty with a 26-ball innings. The pair shared an unbroken stand of 102.
India’s bowlers laid the platform earlier, with the pacers picking up three wickets in the first six overs, including Harshit Rana dismissing Devon Conway for the fifth time in successive white-ball matches.
Rachin Ravindra was dismissed for four by Hardik Pandya. Bumrah then bowled wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert for 12, leaving New Zealand at 34-3.
Glenn Phillips scored 48 off 40 balls and added 54 runs for the fourth wicket with Mark Chapman before Bishnoi broke the partnership.
Bishnoi had Chapman caught behind for 32 and later prevented Phillips from reaching a half-century.
New Zealand continued to lose wickets and, despite captain Mitchell Santner scoring 27 off 17 balls, finished below a competitive total.
"I think I'll give credit to India with the ball as well," said Santner.
"They made it really tough for us. Obviously wickets in the powerplay is key. And then for us to scrap to 150, we knew it would be a challenge from there."
The fourth match will be played on Wednesday in Visakhapatnam.
