India produced a scintillating display of batting in the third T20I match against New Zealand at Wellington on October 27, 2026. Chasing 199 runs for victory, India achieved the same score for loss of 4 wickets in 13.2 overs of play and thus won the match by six wickets and earned a huge lead of 3-0 in five matches series with two more matches to be played.
Abhishek Sharma was instrumental in Indiaβs thumping win over New Zealand. The left-handed opener would go on to score a record-breaking 113 runs from 38 deliveries, which consisted of a plethora of deliveries to aid in the efficient run-rate that the pair of him and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi required to post a winning total. Sharmaβs innings had all the hallmarks of a world-class cricketer β powerful hitting and an extraordinary run-rate.
Mitchell scored an unbeaten 89 off 52 deliveries. Other significant scorers for the Black Caps were Allen and Jacobs who scored sufficiently to add to the total. As it was, the innings ended on 198/3, a total that looked to be plenty on paper, but was dismantled aggressively by the Indians.
The 3rd T20I between India and New Zealand is thoroughly detailed in this review, which goes on to list and describe all the matches played, both the innings of the two teams, all the major stats of the match and also describes in detail the Player and the Match of the series.
India vs New Zealand 3rd T20I Review 2026: Match Details
| Match detail | Information |
| Match | India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20I |
| Date | October 27, 2026 |
| Venue | Hnry Stadium, Wellington |
| New Zealand score | 198/3 in 20 overs |
| India score | 199/4 in 13.2 overs |
| Result | India won by 6 wickets |
| Player of the Match | Abhishek Sharma |
| Series position | India leads 3β0 |
India won the toss and chose to field. Although New Zealand had set India a challenging total of 198/3, the visitors reached the same total of 199 runs much quicker than expected. They won the match in 13.2 overs with Abhishek Sharma being declared the Player of the Match.
You can get latest updates and detailed scorecard of the match from the BCCI match centre and the ICC match centre.
Table of Contents
New Zealand’s Innings: Daryl Mitchell Anchors a Competitive Total
New Zealand completed their 20 overs for the loss of 3 wickets scoring 198 runs. Contributions to this score came from Daryl Mitchell who scored 89, great support from Finn Allen who was dismissed for 40 and a late surge by Bevon Jacobs who was not out for 39.
New Zealand had continued to score well for most of their innings even with regular wickets falling. However, Mitchellβs ability to continue to score at a boundary rate while occupying the crease had helped the home side to establish a strong foundation for their total.
Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 89
Of the New Zealand batsmen, Daryl Mitchell was by far the most effective, scoring 89 from 52 deliveries for an average of 89 including five fours and five sixes to provide his team with a competitive total to defend.
The majority of Mitchellβs runs came from well measured strokes, combined with an array of aggressive shots that led to boundary hitting. He looked to score at a healthy rate throughout his stay and looked to occupy the center of the crease, for long periods of time.
In delivering a key innings for New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell provided exactly the kind of scorer his side required once Finn Allen had upped the run rate in the opening section of their innings. Crucially he went on to score 89 from 52 deliveries to allow his side to set a defendable total.
Finn Allen provides an attacking start
Finn Allen scored 40 off 25 deliveries, with five sixes, to help kickstart a productive New Zealand innings. His cameo put immense pressure on Indiaβs bowlers as he chalked up a high SC rate and set up an excellent base forMitchellβs innings to follow.
Finn Allen also scored a score of 40 in 25 deliveries including 5 sixes to support Mitchell in setting up an impressive finish in the end for New Zealand. Allenβs dismissal was a severe blow as he was struggling to find progeny in his free-flowing style of batting to add much more to his already impressive tally of 40.
Bevon Jacobs adds late momentum
Bevon Jacobs scored 39 in 23 balls in the end for New Zealand including 4 fours and 1 six. His lack of shots in the middle could have cost New Zealand so much more, but the three other batters, especially Mitchell, scored enough to make up for it in the end.
Mitchell and Jacobs then added 75 for the fourth wicket as the two batted well to ensure New Zealand approached 200. Jacobs finished the innings unbeaten on 39 from 23 deliveries with four fours and one six.
India’s bowling figures
India bowled New Zealand in 3 wickets and kept their score down for an aggressive team to defend.
- Arshdeep Singh: 1 wicket for 33 runs in 4 overs.
- Axar Patel: 1 wicket for 36 runs in 4 overs.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy: 1 wicket for 38 runs in 4 overs.
Though the bowlers did not dominate, in particular, the score of 198 odd three did look within the reach of an aggressive India opening to start their chase.
India’s Run Chase: Abhishek Sharma Delivers an Impressive 113
Indiaβs opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi started aggressively. The two batted fluently throughout their innings and kept the New Zealand bowlers at bay.
India scored 50 runs in 2.2 overs and reached 100 runs in 5 overs. India were 118/0 at the end of the Powerplay overs. This was a new record in menβs T20Is for the highest total in Powerplay overs as reported in the match report.
Abhishek Sharma’s 113 off 38 balls
Abhishek Sharma wrote his name in the history books with an incredible 113 off 38 deliveries (9 fours and 11 sixes) with a strike rate of almost 300. He struck a century in 35 deliveries and had a very clean as he looked to do more than just take the game away from the Kiwis and get India to a comprehensive victory.
Abhishek Sharma continued to play a gem of an innings. He was playing one-down to a well set partnership, but was making New Zealandβs bowlers look poor. Although there were times when he was playing slightly negatively, overall he played an exceptionally well crafted innings.
Abhishek Sharma was even more scintillating and was eventually dismissed for a stunning 113 in just 35 balls. It would have been lovely for him to complete his century in style but his innings in which he struck 9 fours and 11 sixes in 38 deliveries helped to relieve a lot of pressure as he produced a sparkling innings to kick-start Indiaβs chase for a huge 199-run target.
Abhishek continued his irresistible show and increased the pace of the run chase. For India, it was important to take the pressure off each of the other 11 players of the side, and Abhishek delivered on that most important aspect.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive support
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 45 runs from 19 balls. The young batter included 4 fours and 4 sixes in his score. It was impressive and added much value to the impressive score of Abhishek Sharma. Abhishek found an ideal partner in Sooryavanshi. The new batter supported Sharma in attacking New Zealand bowlers in the middle overs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 45 runs of 19 deliveries which had 4 fours and 4 sixes. Sooryavanshiβs explosive innings helped India to add yet another important partnership for India in the series. First wicket partnership of 133 runs in 43 balls was indeed the base of the match for the Indians as it created a buffer for India and then pressured the Kiwis to take wickets in clusters to effect a turnaround in the match.
Sooryavanshiβs forte was scoring freely all the time to sustain an impressive run rate. What was even more vital was to have a batsman of Sooryavanshiβs caliber, who scored freely at the other end to keep pumping runs freely for the aggregation of Sharma.
India completes the chase in 13.2 overs
The 199 runs for India were sealed in the 13.2 overs of the match end with Sanju Samson scoring 18 runs in the tour game and Shreyas Iyer to score 5 runs, both getting out in the same over to add to the four wickets lost earlier in the match for India.
In opposition, Kyle Jamieson got two wickets, while Mitchell Santner and Matthew Fisher claimed a wicket each. But, it was too late for the visitors as they failed to surpass the damage that Indiaβs opening pair had already caused.
This was the third T20 match played between India and New Zealand. Even as Indiaβs opening partnership had created a huge impact before their dismissal, India managed to complete their chase in less than fourteen overs to take the third match as well in the series.
Key Turning Points That Decided the Match
1. India’s Record-Breaking Powerplay
The Indian opening pair scored 118 runs for no loss in the first six overs, thus breaking the record for the highest score in a menβs T20I Powerplay. New Zealand bowlers would have been looking to take early wickets to put pressure on India but none came and when the Powerplay ended India would have scored more than half of their total for that period.
2. The 133-Run Opening Partnership
India captain facing New Zealand restored his depleted side back to position of being in control of the game quickly, courtesy a 133 runs, 43 ball opening partnership by Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. This opening stand set the base for India in the run chase, where New Zealand and their bowlers were unable to get any wickets, as was expected, and thus India carried their magnificence in achieving their target in the match.
3. Abhishek’s Boundary-Hitting Ability
In a bid to possibly change the field or alter his attack, Abhishekβs particular brand of boundary hitting forced New Zealand to tinker with both, in a bid to counter the left-handed array of Indiaβs potent trio, yet all to no avail, as the scoring rate for India was to remain high.
4. New Zealand Could Not Defend 198/3
Although Mitchell scored 89 runs in the match, including an unbeaten century, and was well supported by Jacobsβ 39 not out, the bowling effort needed to have defended the 198/3 total were not forthcoming and the aggressive nature of the opening of the Indian side meant that the required run rate became a non-issue very early in the proceedings.
Player Performances: Who Made the Biggest Difference?
Abhishek Sharma β Player of the Match
Abhishek played an innings of 113 runs off 38 balls which was crucial for Indiaβs batting to achieve the target. The game was powered with a mix of pace and power and Abhishek played consistently throughout his innings.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi β Fast start at the other end
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 45 runs in 19 deliveries to kick start the India innings in impressive fashion. He took the pressure off Abhishek to score and allowed other batters to play freely and build big scores.
Daryl Mitchell β New Zealand’s leading batter
Daryl Mitchell 89 from 52 balls was the leading batter for the New Zealand side and even though he did not have a fireworks type of innings, he held up the tempo of the innings well through the middle.
Bevon Jacobs β Useful unbeaten finish
Jacobs scored an important 39 not out from 23 deliveries in helping Mitchell to score in an important partnership to help New Zealand reach a total of 198/3.
Kyle Jamieson β New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker
Jamieson claimed two wickets during the match and was New Zealandβs leading wicket-taker. However, he and the other bowlers were frustrated by Indiaβs scoring during the Powerplay which did not leave much room for error.
India Win 3rd T20I: What Does It Mean For Series?
India took an important step towards ensuring a 3-0 lead in the five-match series with a six wicket victory in Wellington. New Zealand can no longer win the series, but two matches remain to be played, and India will look to test out a few combinations while the Kiwis will search for a suitable way to end their series on a high.
Indiaβs win shows that they are a great side at chasing big totals in their matches. The first two matches required India to play under pressure and make great chases, and the game in Wellington was a fantastic game where openers set the tone for the teamβs win. How India can go on to hone their eleven and play well in the rest of the matches is something that will be witnessed in the next two encounters.
In contrast New Zealandβs bowling will return to the drawing board after having allowed 118 runs in the Powerplay. The Kiwiβs only real positive from the match was Mitchellβs innings but their bowlers failed to string together a period of control in the opening overs of the match.
A win will also give India the opportunity to test out a few more members of their vast squad, in order to hone a few combinations while winning more games. The Kiwis, meanwhile, would want to finish the series with a bang, looking to tweak their strategies, in order to improve at two basics of the game: defending and taking early wickets.
Cricket Match Analysis: What the Scorecard Tells Us
Looking at the Scorecard of the Match above, the aggregate of New Zealandβs score of 198/3 meant their team had a very good batting performance to post a good score. As for Indiaβs score of 199/4 in just 13.2 overs, it highlighted the impact that this opening pair created while chasing for their team.
These three points illustrated why India won the match even as New Zealand could lose only three wickets during their teamβs innings. Read more about Cricket match analysis and also refer to the scoring terms used for match analysis on Online Cricket ID guide on WazirWin.
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Final Thoughts
Review of 3rd T20I of India vs New Zealand to be played in 2026 will be a special one as an incredible 113 runs off just 38 balls by Abhishek Sharma will be the talking point of Indiaβs successful chase. Chasing 198/3 runs posted by New Zealand on the back of an excellent unbeaten 89 by Daryl Mitchell, India will complete the match in 13.2 overs losing 4 wickets to emerge winners by 6 wickets and take a 3-0 lead in the 5-match series with two matches remaining.
This win has helped India to take a comprehensive 3-0 lead in the five-match series, with two more matches to be played. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi too had a good game to his credit, scoring 45 runs off 19 deliveries alongside Abhishek. It was also a game where a record was created as the Powerplay score of 118 runs was also a record in the match.
New Zealand can now look to go back to the drawing board and try and tweak their bowling plan for the remainder of the matches. The Indians will also look to try and continue their good form with the bat and readers can find the official scorecards online. Remember that match analysis is to explain a match and how it came about rather than to predict the outcome of future matches.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. India won the match of 3rd T20I between India and New Zealand played in 2026.
India won an exciting match and completed a 6-run game to win the series 3-0 in the five-match contest.
2. In the 3rd T20I how many runs did Abhishek Sharma score?
Abhishek Sharma smacked 113 off 38 balls, including 9 fours and 11 sixes in the innings, as India went on to win the match in a 6-over modified game in the 3rd T20I.
3. In what total did New Zealand get out in the third T20I?
New Zealand scored 198 for 3 in their 20 overs with Daryl Mitchell scoring an unbeaten 89 off 69 balls while opening the innings for his side.
4. How many runs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored in the match?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 45 runs off 45 balls including 4 fours and 4 sixes in the match.
5. What was India’s final score?
India made 199/4 in 13.2 overs to win the match with 40 odd balls to spare.
6. Who was named Player of the Match?
Indiaβs Abhishek Sharma has been awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding 113 runs off 38 deliveries with the aid of 9 fours and 11 sixes.
7. What was the opening partnershipβs score of Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the 1st wicket?
The opening duo added 133 runs for the first wicket and the way they added runs to their total was at a rate of 43 runs in 43 balls.
8. How is India faring in the T20I match after the third game?
India are 3-0 up in the 5 match series and have effectively won the series with two matches to play.
9. Which New Zealand bowler took the most wickets?
1 wicket for Matthew Fisher, 1 wicket for Mitchell Santner and 2 wickets for Kyle Jamieson.
10. Where can I check the official match scorecard?
The BCCI match centre link for all India matches is on the right of this page as well as the ICC match centre link for all international matches.
