Guwahati: Team India’s batters have been performing these days as if there is no tomorrow.
The amazing firepower in the top order was on display again on Sunday evening, as the home team chased down a target of 154 in just 10 overs! Two days ago, they had galloped to 209/3 in 15.2 overs.
No ground seems to be big enough for Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav aka SKY. On this day, Abhishek (68 not out off 20 balls, 7×4, 5×6) raced to his fifty in 14 balls, second-fastest by an Indian after Yuvraj Singh’s 12 balls and SKY remained unbeaten on 57 (26 balls, 6×4, 3×6). Ishan earlier set the tone with a 13-ball 28.
The powerplay score of 94/2 was India’s second-best in all T20Is.
Sunday’s walk in the park at Guwahati’s ACA Stadium helped India seal the five-match series 3-0.
New Zealand, asked to bat first, were rocked back by the loss of two wickets in the first 10 balls. Glenn Phillips (48) and Mark Chapman (32) built a partnership, but the Indian bowlers never allowed the Kiwis to break loose. The run rate hovered around 6 to 7 runs an over as leggie Ravi Bishnoi (2/18) and the redoubtable Jasprit Bumrah (3/17) choked the visitors.
BRIEF SCORES
New Zealand 153/9 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 48; Jasprit Bumrah 3/17, Ravi Bishnoi 2/18, Hardik Pandya 2/23).
India 155/2 in 10 overs (Abhishek Sharma 68*, Suryakumar Yadav 57*).
Result: India won by 8 wickets.
Player of the Match: Jasprit Bumrah
Series: India lead 3-0.
Next match: 4th T20I at Visakhapatnam (January 31).
