Abhishek's 35-Ball Hundred and India's 118/0 Set New T20I Powerplay Record

India scored 118 without loss in the first six overs against New Zealand in the third T20I in Wellington on Tuesday, October 27. It is the highest powerplay total in men's T20Is. The previous best was Romania's 116 without loss against Serbia in Sofia in 2021. India also reached 100 in 5 overs, which is the fastest team hundred in T20Is. The earlier record was 5.2 overs, also by Romania against Serbia.

Abhishek Sharma scored most of those runs. He hit his fifty off 15 balls. He then reached his hundred off 35 balls, his fourth T20I century. That equals Rohit Sharma's 35-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017. David Miller also hit a 35-ball T20I hundred in 2017.

Abhishek fell for 113 off 38 balls. He hit 9 fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 297.37. He was caught by Glenn Phillips off Kyle Jamieson at 178 for 2 in the tenth over. His knock won him the Player of the Match award.

He already owns India's fastest T20I hundred. That came off just 30 balls against Afghanistan in Delhi on September 17, 2026. He also made a 37-ball hundred against England at the Wankhede Stadium in February 2025.

His opening partner Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played an important part too. He scored 45 off 19 balls, with 4 fours and 4 sixes. The two put on 133 runs for the first wicket in 43 balls. Matthew Fisher had Sooryavanshi caught in the eighth over.

Abhishek began the chase with an assault on Jacob Duffy. Duffy's first over went for 26 runs. He finished with 0 for 44 in two overs. New Zealand had scored 198 for 3, led by Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 89. India chased it down in 13.2 overs and won by 6 wickets.

The win gave India a 3-0 lead in the five-match series, so they cannot lose it. The fourth T20I is on Friday, October 30, at Eden Park in Auckland.