Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi "breathed fire" from the first ball as they opened the batting in the third T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch on Tuesday.
In the chase of 199, the pair paid little attention to who was bowling and went straight into the rampage mode from the first ball. By the time the first six overs were done, India had broken three T20I records.
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Record One: Fastest Team Fifty
Abhishek smashed a 15-ball half-century as India brought up their team fifty in just 2.2 overs. That equalled the world record for the fastest team fifty in T20 internationals.
ALSO READ: Abhishek Sharma's 35-Ball Century: Check List Of Fastest T20I Hundreds
Among Test-playing nations, it is the fastest ever, ahead of the previous best of 2.4 overs, held by New Zealand (against both Scotland and England) and South Africa (against the West Indies).
Across all T20I-playing nations, India equalled the joint record held by Papua New Guinea (against Vanuatu) and Romania (against Serbia).
Fastest Team 50s In T20Is (By Overs)
| Overs | Team | Opposition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 | Papua New Guinea | Vanuatu | Port Moresby | 2019 |
| 2.2 | Romania | Serbia | Sofia | 2021 |
| 2.2 | India | New Zealand | Christchurch | 2026 |
| 2.3 | Philippines | Indonesia | Bali | 2023 |
| 2.4 | New Zealand | Scotland | The Oval | 2009 |
| 2.4 | New Zealand | England | Auckland | 2019 |
| 2.4 | South Africa | West Indies | Centurion | 2023 |
Record Two: Fastest Team Hundred
India then made the T20I record entirely their own, reaching the team hundred in just five overs (30 balls). The previous overall record was Romania's 100 in 32 balls (5.2 overs) against Serbia in 2021. Among Test-playing nations, South Africa had held the record, with 100 in 5.3 overs against the West Indies.
Fastest Team 100s In T20Is
| Overs | Team | Opposition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | India | New Zealand | Christchurch | 2026 |
| 5.2 | Romania | Serbia | Sofia | 2021 |
| 5.3 | South Africa | West Indies | Centurion | 2023 |
| 5.3 | Australia | Scotland | Edinburgh | 2024 |
| 5.5 | Zimbabwe | Gambia | Nairobi | 2024 |
| 5.5 | England | South Africa | Old Trafford | 2025 |
Record Three: Highest Powerplay Score Ever
India also set a world record for the highest-ever powerplay score, putting 118 runs on the board in the first six overs of the 199-run chase. That went past the previous best of Romania, who had made 116/0 against Serbia in a T20 international in 2021.
Highest Totals In Overs 1-6 In Men's T20Is (Where Data Available)
| Score | Team | Opposition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118/0 | India | New Zealand | Wellington | 2026 |
| 116/0 (5.4 overs) | Romania | Serbia | Sofia | 2021 |
| 113/1 | Australia | Scotland | Edinburgh | 2024 |
| 103/1 | Zimbabwe | Gambia | Nairobi (RSC) | 2024 |
| 102/0 | South Africa | West Indies | Centurion | 2023 |
| 100/0 | England | South Africa | Old Trafford | 2025 |
| 100/0 | India | Afghanistan | Delhi | 2026 |
ALSO READ: Watch: Abhishek Sharma Lights Up Wellington With Blistering T20I Century
The Two Men Behind It
Abhishek went on to complete his century in just 35 balls before departing, while Sooryavanshi made a 19-ball 45 before returning to the dressing room.
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