Abhishek Sharma Breaks Rohit Sharma's World Record as India Clinches T20I Series Against New Zealand

India secured an unassailable 3-0 lead in their five-match T20I series against New Zealand after completing a dominant run-chase in Wellington on Tuesday. Led by a record-breaking performance from Abhishek Sharma, India chased down a target of 199 in just 13.2 overs.

Abhishek Sharma produced a breathtaking 113-run knock off only 38 balls, setting a new world record for the most sixes by a batter from a Full Member nation in a calendar year. The left-hander reached 85 sixes in 2026, surpassing former India captain Rohit Sharma's previous milestone of 80 maximums set in 2023.

Match Summary and Record-Breaking Chase

• Venue: Wellington
• Match Date: Tuesday (Third T20I)
• Format: T20 International
• New Zealand Innings: 198/3 (Daryl Mitchell 89* off 52, Finn Allen 40 off 25, Bevon Jacobs 39* off 23)
• India Innings: 199/X in 13.2 overs (Abhishek Sharma 113 off 38, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 45 off 18)
• Result: India won by an unspecified number of wickets in 13.2 overs to take a 3-0 series lead.

Key Highlights

• Powerplay Record: Abhishek and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added a record 118 runs in the first six overs, aided by 26 runs in the opening over bowled by Jacob Duffy.
• Fast Scoring: Abhishek reached his half-century in 15 balls and his century in 35 deliveries, hitting 11 sixes and nine boundaries overall.
• Partnership: The opening pair put on 133 runs in just seven overs before Sooryavanshi fell for 45 off 18 balls.
• Series Triumph: The victory marks India's third consecutive T20I series win in New Zealand, following successes in 2020 and 2022.

According to reports, the original announcement and match statistics can be verified through official cricket scorecards and board updates.