A breathtaking innings from Abhishek Sharma set the tone as India began the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with a dominant 48-run victory in the opening match at Nagpur on Wednesday.
After being asked to bat first, India put on a batting exhibition, piling up an imposing 238 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. The highlight of the innings was Abhishek’s sensational 84 off just 35 deliveries, a knock studded with fearless strokeplay and clean hitting that kept the New Zealand bowlers under constant pressure.
Abhishek found solid support from the middle order, with Rinku Singh playing a composed yet explosive cameo, remaining unbeaten on 44 from 20 balls. Captain Suryakumar Yadav added momentum with a fluent 32 off 22 deliveries, while Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 25 from 16 balls ensured India maintained a strong run rate till the final over.
Among the New Zealand bowlers, Jacob Duffy stood out with disciplined figures of 2 for 27, managing to contain the damage to some extent on a batting-friendly surface.
Chasing a daunting target, the Black Caps made a spirited attempt but never truly threatened to overhaul India’s total. They were eventually restricted to 190 for 7, falling short by 48 runs. India’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Varun Chakaravarthy and Shivam Dube picking up two wickets each to stall New Zealand’s progress at crucial stages.
With this convincing win, India take a 1–0 lead in the series, gaining early momentum and confidence ahead of the remaining matches.