India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: India opener Abhishek Sharma played a blazing knock before falling for 84 off 35 balls in the first T20I against New Zealand at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Sharma’s innings included five boundaries and eight sixes as he gave India a strong platform after early setbacks.
India lost both Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan cheaply, but Sharma, alongside captain Suryakumar Yadav, steadied the innings with a brisk third-wicket partnership. The left-hander reached his seventh T20I fifty in just 22 balls, the fastest by an Indian against New Zealand.
Sharma continued his aggressive approach through the powerplay, clearing the fence multiple times and allowing Yadav to settle at the crease. He brought up his half-century with a series of boundaries off Glenn Phillips and added further damage with a couple of sixes off New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. However, Sharma’s innings came to an end when he mistimed a shot off Ish Sodhi and was caught by Kyle Jamieson at long-on.
New Zealand won the toss and opted to field first in the series opener in Nagpur.
Playing XIs:
India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
