IND VS NZ T20: India post massive 239-run total, Abhishek Sharma scores 84

NEW DELHI: The IND VS NZ T20 opener saw India putting up a massive total of 238 for seven in 20 overs against New Zealand after being asked to bat first. The Indian innings was anchored by a brilliant 84 off 35 balls by Abhishek Sharma, who struck 5 fours and 8 sixes, giving India a strong platform.

India’s batting line

Being asked to bat first, the Indian team played disciplined batting, and with Abhishek Sharma’s 84-run composed batting, other players got firm confidence to continue with the batting flow as the NZ bowlers couldn’t contain their opponent batters.

During their innings, other key contributions of the IND VS NZ T20 opener came from Rinku Singh (36 off 17), Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 22), and Hardik Pandya (25 off 16). Their unbelievable batting accelerated in the latter part of the innings.

The team maintained a blistering scoring rate of 11.8 runs per over, making the total extremely challenging for the Kiwi side.

Jacob Duffy led the New Zealand bowling attack, picking up 2 wickets for 27 runs in 4 overs, while Ish Sodhi and Kyle Jamieson struggled to contain the aggressive Indian hitters.

With India posting such a commanding total, live win probability estimates suggest a 96 per cent chance of victory for the Men in Blue, leaving New Zealand with a tough chase in front of them.

Fans will now watch eagerly as New Zealand tries to mount a miracle chase to overcome India’s imposing score.

India’s ranking in ICC T20
As of January 2026, India is the top-ranked team in ICC Men’s T20 International (T20I) standings with a rating of 272, reflecting its strong and consistent performances in recent matches.

In comparison, New Zealand is ranked 4th with a rating of 251, indicating that while they remain a strong team, they lag behind India in overall T20I performance.

India’s position at the summit highlights its dominance in the format, whereas New Zealand, although competitive, is several rating points behind and must improve its results to challenge the leading teams.

Overall, India currently holds the edge over New Zealand in ICC T20I rankings.