The road to the T20 World Cup officially began in Nagpur, and Team India wasted no time in making a statement. 👊

In the final T20I series before the T20 World Cup, the Men in Blue delivered a commanding all-round performance. This was a special night for Surya Dada, who stepped onto the field for his 100th T20I, with a win to remember.

Put in to bat, India powered their way to 238/7 before the bowlers ensured New Zealand finished 48 runs short, handing the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead.

Here’s how the opener unfolded 👇

Abhishek sets the tempo

India’s innings began exactly how they would’ve wanted.

The No.1 T20I batter, Abhishek Sharma, picked up right where he left off in 2025, providing a solid सुरुवात at the top. Fearless, fluent and in complete control, he ensured the scoreboard kept ticking from ball one.

Support followed seamlessly. Captain SKY played his role to perfection, adding 32 valuable runs and bringing up 9000 T20 runs in the process. A landmark moment and a perfect start to 2026. ✅

Then came the HP injection. 💥Straight into 6th gear from ball one, Pandya smashed 25 quick-fire runs through the middle overs to keep the momentum firmly with India.

Rinku Singh stepped in to apply the final flourish, lifting India to their highest-ever T20I total against New Zealand.

Bowlers seal the deal

With a mountain of runs behind them, India’s bowlers went straight for the kill.

Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya struck in their very first overs, setting the tone early and pushing New Zealand on the back foot. From there on, the spinners took control, chipping away with wickets, and never allowing the chase to gather momentum.

The result was never in doubt as India closed out a comprehensive win under the Nagpur lights.

After the disappointment of the ODI series, this was a strong response.

India leads the T20I series 1-0, and the message is clear: the Men in Blue are finding their rhythm at just the right time. 💙

Brief Scores: India 238/7 (Abhishek Sharma 84, Jacob Duffy 2/27) beat New Zealand 190/7 (Glenn Phillips 78, Shivam Dube 2/28) by 48 runs.