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A Masterclass in Mayhem: How India Left the Kiwis Shell-Shocked in Guwahati
The third T20I between India and New Zealand in Guwahati wasn’t so much a contest as it was a statement. In a format often defined by fine margins, the Men in Blue delivered a performance of such overwhelming dominance that it felt as though they were playing a completely different sport. From the opening delivery to the final boundary, India dictated every second of the game, ultimately chasing down a competitive target with a staggering ten overs to spare.
The groundwork for this rout was laid by the bowling attack, spearheaded by the "Two Bs"—Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi. Bumrah, ever the master of his craft, provided a masterclass in pace and precision, finishing with figures of 3 for 17 that effectively broke the back of the New Zealand top order. At the other end, Bishnoi’s skidding leg-spin proved impossible to read, his 2 for 18 ensuring the Kiwis couldn't find any rhythm in the middle overs. While Glenn Phillips managed a gritty 48, the visitors’ total of 153 felt at least thirty runs short on a ground that has become a graveyard for bowlers.
What followed in the second innings was nothing short of a hurricane. Despite the early shock of losing Sanju Samson to the first ball of the chase, Abhishek Sharma launched an assault that will be talked about for years. He didn’t just find the boundary; he demoralised the New Zealand attack, racing to a 14-ball half-century with a blend of raw power and timing. In the space of twenty balls, he had bludgeoned his way to 68 not out, making the international-standard bowling look like amateur practice.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav played the ideal supporting role, though "supporting" is a loose term for his own 26-ball 57. The pair operated in perfect sync, finding gaps with surgical precision and clearing the ropes with ease. By the time India hit the winning runs at the end of the tenth over, the stadium was in a state of disbelief. It was a clinical, ruthless exhibition of modern T20 cricket that secured the series lead and left New Zealand searching for answers that simply didn't exist.
