India opener Abishek Sharma effectively won the game on his own, by clubbing a monster 113 runs from just 38 balls, in a knock that contained 11 sixes and nine boundaries for a gargantuan strike rate of just over 297.
India’s Abishek Sharma celebrates scoring his century against the Black Caps in Wellington. Photo / Photosport
He and 15-year-old opening partner Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (45 off 19) took New Zealand’s attack apart for 133 runs in just 44 balls, and hammered the highest score in a power play by any nation at 118-0 after the first six overs.
A lack of any kind of variation from New Zealand’s fast bowlers in particular was punished, as India’s openers made hay on the short boundaries in the capital.
New Zealand’s cause wasn’t helped by captain Mitchell Santner (1-17), who didn’t bring himself onto bowl until the ninth over at 156-1 to avoid bowling to the two left-handers, after also dropping Abishek on 92 from the 28th ball he faced – admittedly from a very difficult chance.
Santner was the most economical bowler on either side, and the only one not to concede a boundary across both innings. Him aside, every Black Caps bowler was brutalised in the capital, with Kyle Jamieson’s (2-41) economy rate of 13.50 runs per over the best on display after the skipper.
At the very least, though, this one was over before midnight.
New Zealand could be in for more hurt in the coming days too, after opener Finn Allen – one of the few Black Caps capable of matching India’s batters – did not field to nurse an apparent groin injury.
But regardless of what batters the Black Caps can select for the final two matches in Auckland and Hamilton respectively, New Zealand could be forced to wait for the five-match One-Day International series to taste any success on India’s tour.
Walking to the crease in the second over at 4-1, Mitchell was the backbone of New Zealand’s total, as he recorded his highest score in T20 cricket for club or country.
Mitchell and Allen (40 off 24) took just 27 balls to raise a half-century partnership and added 86 runs in 43 balls together – 48 of them coming in sixes. While Glenn Phillips came and went for a 14-ball 17 in his 100th T20 International, Mitchell carried on to pass 50 in 26 balls after the innings crossed 100 at halfway.
As he’d done in the first two matches, Bevon Jacobs (39 not out off 23) provided excellent support for the senior batter, finding the ropes four times and clearing it once with arguably the shot of the innings when he pulled over long-off.
Daryl Mitchell celebrates his half-century against India in Wellington. Photo / Photosport
However, from 135-3 after 13 overs, the Black Caps could only post 198, thanks to superb death bowling from India, despite Mitchell and Jacobs adding an unbeaten 75 runs in 48 balls to finish the innings.
In reply, needing a touch under 10 runs per over, India gave their local fans what they wanted by opening with Sooryavanshi instead of Sanju Samson.
Taking the attack to Duffy (0-44), Adam Milne (0-33) and Michael Bracewell (0-36), Sooryavanshi and Abishek passed 50 in just 14 deliveries, and reached 64-0 at the end of the third over, and 18 deliveries still left in the power play.
Abishek passed 50 in just 15 balls with four fours and six sixes, before the century stand was raised when he sliced the last ball of the fifth over to third man for another boundary.
By the time the fielding restrictions were lifted at 118-0, India needed less than a run a ball. And while Sooryavanshi fell to Matt Fisher (1-23), it was far too little too late for the Black Caps at 133-1 in the eighth over.
Abishek Sharma put the Black Caps’ bowlers to the sword in Wellington. Photo / Photosport
It would take Abishek until the 10th over to reach triple figures, as a top edge over fine leg took him to his fourth T20 International century, not even his fastest, even as he holed out at 178-2.
But even with late wickets to Santner and Jamieson, India still cruised home untroubled to take the series with two games to spare.
New Zealand 198-3 (Mitchell 89 not out; Arshdeep Singh 1-33)
India 199-4 (Abishek 113; Jamieson 2-41)
India win by six wickets
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.