Opener Abhishek Sharma hammered 84 off 35 balls to give India a thumping 48-run victory over New Zealand in the first of five T20 internationals on Wednesday.
Abhishek’s eight sixes set India on course for a strong start while hosts Rinku Singh contributed an unbeaten cameo of 44 to take the home side to 238-7 after they were invited to bat in Nagpur.
Chasing 204 to win, New Zealand managed 190-7 in a losing effort as India’s bowlers kept taking wickets for them to grab a 1-0 lead in the warm-up series before the T20 world cup begins from February 7 across hosts India and Sri Lanka.
“It’s not just how he bats in games, but the way he prepares, the way he carries himself. I think everything, small, small things reflect down on the ground,” said India captain Suryakumar Yadav of Abhishek.
“And he’s benefiting from that.”
Glenn Phillips scored a brave 78 from 40 balls and briefly threatened a response in his 79-run stand with Mark Chapman, who contributed 39.
But a Phillips second-ball exit to left-arm spinner Axar Patel in the 14th over, put paid to New Zealand’s aspiration even as the hosts were sloppy on the field.
The key wickets were shared by spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who removed Tim Robinson for 21 and Chapman.
The medium pace of Shivam Dube also accounted for two wickets off successive balls in the final over.
Abhishek Sharma was going well even though India lost two early wickets — his fellow opener Sanju Samson for 10 and Ishan Kishan, playing an international match for the first time since 2023, for eight.
Suryakumar added 99 for the third wicket with Abhishek Sharma, who contributed a 32-ball 32.
Suryakumar, 35, batted cautiously initially before hitting some big strokes in his bid to shrug off recent poor form ahead of the World Cup.
Suryakumar, who was once ranked ICC’s No. 1 batsmen in T20Is, is yet to register a fifty in his 23 innings since October 2024 and Lloyd said all eyes would be on if he can finish this tour with momentum up his sleeve.
He holed out to the left-arm spin of his counterpart Mitchell Santner.
Abhishek Sharma maintained the tempo and brought up his fifty in just 22 balls, but was eventually dismissed by Ish Sodhi when he miscued a hit to long-on.
India lost two quick wickets and run-rate reduced after which Rinku hit three sixes and four boundaries in his 20-ball innings to end with a flourish.
“India are a very good side at home,” said Santner. “We knew that. They’re really good the last two years. And, yeah, it was a good game for us.”
The second contest is Friday in Raipur.