India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20I: India’s Guwahati Massacre Seals Series 3-0 January 25, 2026 — In a display of sheer batting brutality, India clinicaly dismantled New Zealand in the 3rd T20I at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium. Led by a record-breaking blitz from Abhishek Sharma and a captain’s masterclass from Suryakumar Yadav, India chased down 154 in exactly 10 overs, clinching the five-match series with two games to spare.
Match Summary: A One-Sided Affair
| Team | Score | Key Performers |
| New Zealand | 153/9 (20 Overs) | Glenn Phillips (48), Mark Chapman (32) |
| India | 155/2 (10 Overs) | Abhishek Sharma (68*), Suryakumar Yadav (57*) |
Result: India won by 8 wickets (with 60 balls remaining).
Series Status: India leads 3-0.
Abhishek Sharma: The New “Hurricane” of Indian Cricket
The story of the night was Abhishek Sharma. After a golden duck in the previous game, the young left-hander returned with a vengeance. He reached his half-century in just 14 balls, recording the second-fastest T20I fifty for India, trailing only his mentor Yuvraj Singh’s legendary 12-ball effort.
“This is the brand of cricket we want to play. Even if we lose wickets, we won’t stop attacking,” – Suryakumar Yadav, India Captain.
Abhishek’s unbeaten 68 off 20 balls included 7 fours and 5 towering sixes, striking at a monstrous rate of 340.00.
The Preamble: Bumrah’s Surgical Precision
While the headline belongs to the batters, the foundation of this emphatic win was laid by a bowling unit operating at the peak of its powers. After winning the toss and electing to field, India’s attack looked clinical from the outset.
The Return of the King
Jasprit Bumrah, returning to the side after being rested for the first two games, proved once again why he remains the gold standard of modern fast bowling. He finished with elite figures of 3/17 in 4 overs, consistently hitting the 145-plus kph mark while mixing in deceptive slower balls.
The Kiwi Struggle
New Zealand’s innings never truly took flight. Harshit Rana struck early to remove Devon Conway for 2, and Hardik Pandya followed suit by dismissing the dangerous Rachin Ravindra. Bumrah then entered the fray to clean up Tim Seifert with a signature delivery that left the stumps cartwheeling.
While Glenn Phillips (48 off 40) and Mark Chapman (32) staged a 52-run recovery, the middle-overs belonged to Ravi Bishnoi. Playing his first T20I in nearly a year, Bishnoi showed no signs of rust, stifling the Kiwis with his trademark googlies and picking up 2/18. Bumrah returned at the death to mop up the tail, ensuring New Zealand reached only a sub-par 153/9.
Statistical Highlights & Records
The Guwahati T20I rewrote several record books:
Fastest 150+ Chase: India’s chase of 154 in 10 overs is now the fastest successful chase of a 150+ target by a Full Member nation.
Abhishek Sharma’s Milestone: He now holds the record for the most T20I fifties in 25 balls or less (9), surpassing Suryakumar Yadav.
Powerplay Dominance: India reached 94/2 in the first 6 overs, their second-highest Powerplay score in history.
Run Analysis: The Tools of Victory
India’s Batting Breakdown
Abhishek Sharma: 68* (20) | SR: 340.00 | 4s: 7, 6s: 5
Suryakumar Yadav: 57* (26) | SR: 219.23 | 4s: 6, 6s: 3
Ishan Kishan: 28 (13) | SR: 215.38 | 4s: 3, 6s: 2
As the T20 World Cup 2026 looms, India seems to have found a blueprint that works: relentless aggression at the top, anchored by the world’s best T20 batter, and backed by a bowling attack that can defend any total—or, in this case, set up a record-breaking chase.
Match Statistical Breakdown
India Batting: The 10-Over Blitz
India’s chase was defined by extreme aggression, finishing with a team strike rate of 155.00 (relative to balls faced).
| Batter | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Sanju Samson (wk) | b Matt Henry | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Abhishek Sharma | Not Out | 68 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 340.00 |
| Ishan Kishan | c Chapman b Sodhi | 28 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 215.38 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (c) | Not Out | 57 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 219.23 |
Note: Abhishek Sharma’s 14-ball fifty is the second-fastest by an Indian in T20I history, bettered only by Yuvraj Singh (12 balls).
New Zealand Batting: The Mid-Innings Resistance
Despite a solid partnership in the middle, the Kiwis were stifled by the regular fall of wickets at the death.
| Batter | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Devon Conway | c Pandya b Rana | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Tim Seifert (wk) | b Bumrah | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Rachin Ravindra | c & b Pandya | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 88.88 |
| Glenn Phillips | c Bishnoi b Pandya | 48 | 40 | 3 | 2 | 120.00 |
| Mark Chapman | c Kishan b Bishnoi | 32 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 139.13 |
| Daryl Mitchell | c Bishnoi b Pandya | 14 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 116.66 |
| Mitchell Santner (c) | b Bumrah | 27 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Kyle Jamieson | b Bumrah | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Matt Henry | Run Out (Bumrah) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
India Bowling: Bumrah’s Clinical Return
Jasprit Bumrah’s economy of 4.25 on a flat Guwahati deck was the standout performance, earning him the Player of the Match award.
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Harshit Rana | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Hardik Pandya | 4 | 0 | 29 | 2 | 7.25 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 4 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 4.25 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 4 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 4.50 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 3 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 9.33 |
| Shivam Dube | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12.00 |
New Zealand Bowling: Under the Pump
The Kiwi bowlers bore the brunt of a historic assault, with India reaching 100 in just 6.3 overs.
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Matt Henry | 2 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 14.00 |
| Jacob Duffy | 2 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 15.50 |
| Ish Sodhi | 2 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 14.00 |
| Kyle Jamieson | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 16.50 |
What’s Next?
With the series already in the bag, India might look to test their bench strength in the remaining two fixtures. New Zealand, on the other hand, will be desperate to avoid a 5-0 whitewash.
4th T20I: Visakhapatnam, Wednesday, Jan 28.
5th T20I: Hyderabad, Sunday, Feb 1.