When Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma walked out to open, everyone expected fireworks. But nobody could have imagined what would happen next. The two left-handers hammered the ball all around the park, sent New Zealand’s bowlers searching for answers and shattered batting records for fun!
This was batting carnage from the very first over. India raced to 50 in 14 balls, reached 100 in 30 balls and finished the powerplay at an extraordinary 118/0—the highest powerplay total in men’s T20I history.
For six overs in Wellington, it felt like a highlights reel was playing live. One opener attacked, the other followed, and New Zealand had nowhere to hide.
Vaibhav and Abhishek Hammer 100 Runs in Five Overs
Jacob Duffy’s opening over disappeared for 26 runs. Adam Milne conceded another 17 in the second, taking India to 43/0 after just 12 legal deliveries.
Michael Bracewell came into the attack, but the punishment continued. His over went for 21 runs, and India crossed 50 on the second delivery—just 2.2 overs into the innings.
Abhishek then tore into Kyle Jamieson, with 20 runs coming from the fourth over. Another 16 followed in the fifth, completing a hundred-run opening partnership before the powerplay had even finished.
| Over | Runs scored | India’s total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 26/0 |
| 2 | 17 | 43/0 |
| 3 | 21 | 64/0 |
| 4 | 20 | 84/0 |
| 5 | 16 | 100/0 |
| 6 | 18 | 118/0 |
India were scoring at 20 runs per over after five overs. Changing the bowler made little difference. Both openers kept finding boundaries, and neither allowed New Zealand a quiet over.
Fastest Team Fifty: India Equal the World Record
India’s 14-ball team fifty equalled the men’s T20I world record. It also became the fastest team fifty by a Full Member nation.
What made the assault even more remarkable was the opposition. Vaibhav and Abhishek had produced that start against New Zealand, taking the record pace into a contest between two Test-playing countries.
| Team | Opposition | Balls to reach 50 | Overs | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | Vanuatu | 14 | 2.2 | March 24, 2019 |
| Romania | Serbia | 14 | 2.2 | June 26, 2021 |
| Malaysia | Hong Kong | 14 | 2.2 | July 26, 2025 |
| India | New Zealand | 14 | 2.2 | October 27, 2026 |
Fastest Team Hundred by a Full Member Nation
The fifty was only the beginning. Vaibhav and Abhishek kept attacking and took India to 100 in just 30 legal deliveries, setting a new record for a Full Member team.
South Africa and Australia had previously reached the milestone in 33 balls. India cut three deliveries off that mark, while also bettering England’s 35-ball hundred against South Africa.
| Team | Opposition | Balls to reach 100 | Overs | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eswatini | Mozambique | 29 | 4.5 | June 7, 2026 |
| India | New Zealand | 30 | 5.0 | October 27, 2026 |
| Turkey | Bulgaria | 31 | 5.1 | July 12, 2025 |
| Romania | Serbia | 32 | 5.2 | June 26, 2021 |
| South Africa | West Indies | 33 | 5.3 | March 26, 2023 |
| Australia | Scotland | 33 | 5.3 | September 4, 2024 |
| England | South Africa | 35 | 5.5 | September 12, 2025 |
Eswatini’s 29-ball effort remains the overall benchmark. India’s hundred was the fastest by a Full Member nation and the fastest against Full Member opposition.
118/0! India Smash the Powerplay World Record
Even a five-over hundred could not satisfy this opening pair. Vaibhav hammered 18 runs in the sixth over, lifting India to 118 without loss and setting a new men’s T20I powerplay world record.
India went past Romania’s 116/0, scored in a chase completed after 5.4 overs. They also surpassed Australia’s 113/1 against Scotland, the previous highest powerplay total by a Full Member team.
| Team | Powerplay score | Opposition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 118/0 | New Zealand | Wellington | 2026 |
| Romania | 116/0* | Serbia | Sofia | 2021 |
| Australia | 113/1 | Scotland | Edinburgh | 2024 |
| Zimbabwe | 103/1 | Gambia | Nairobi | 2024 |
| South Africa | 102/0 | West Indies | Centurion | 2023 |
Romania completed their chase in 5.4 overs.
Both Indian openers played their part in the destruction. At the end of the powerplay, Abhishek had smashed 67 off 20 balls, while Vaibhav had raced to 44 off 17.
| Batter | Runs after six overs | Balls faced | Strike rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | 67 | 20 | 335.00 |
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 44 | 17 | 258.82 |
Imagine This Pair Opening Together Regularly
If Vaibhav and Abhishek become India’s regular opening combination, bowlers could face many more evenings like this. Both have the power to clear the ropes and the intent to attack before the opposition can settle.
Their partnership makes the prospect of India scoring 300 or even 350 feel exciting. Those totals would require the middle order to sustain the charge, but a start like this gives them the platform: 100 runs already on the board, all ten wickets intact and 15 overs still to bat.
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