Abhishek Sharma scores 113 as India chases 198 in 13 overs to end series

India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in Wellington on Tuesday, securing a 3-0 sweep of the five-match Twenty20 International series. The hosts chased down a target of 198 in just 13.2 overs, capping a dominant performance with two games remaining in the schedule.

The victory was driven by an explosive start from openers Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Their 133-run stand came in only 7.1 overs, a pace that overwhelmed the New Zealand bowling unit. Jacob Duffy conceded 26 runs in his first over, setting the tone for a rapid chase.

Sharma finished with 113 off 38 balls, striking nine fours and 11 sixes. He was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson after India had reached 178 for two in just 10 overs. Sooryavanshi, who was promoted from the middle order to open the innings, added 45 from 19 balls, including four boundaries and four sixes.

Captain Shreyas Iyer praised the openers for their aggressive approach. He noted that he had never seen a batsman reach a century in five overs at the international level before. "Credit where it is due, the way they played was exceptional," Iyer said.

Sharma attributed the rapid scoring to favorable pitch conditions. He explained that the pair noticed extra bounce while fielding and decided to play aggressively. "The key was pretty simple: Vaibhav and I enjoyed our time," Sharma said.

New Zealand set the total after winning the toss for the third consecutive match. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh used seam to dismiss opener Tim Seifert for two. Daryl Mitchell then anchored the innings with 89 from 52 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes. He was supported by Finn Allen, who scored 40, and Bevon Jacobs, who remained unbeaten on 39.

The final match of the series is scheduled for Friday at Eden Park in Auckland.