The stage is set for the fourth T20I of the ongoing series between India and New Zealand. The two sides are slated to take on each other in the clash at Eden Park on October 30th.
With three wins secured, the Indian team will look to put in a good showing and register their fourth straight victory.
Ahead of the fourth T20I of the series, many eyes will be set upon star batter Abhishek Sharma. It is worth noting that in the third T20I of the series, as he scored 113 runs in 38 deliveries, helping India chase down 199 runs in the clash.
With the fourth T20I right around the corner, Abhishek Sharma is on the verge of breaking Suryakumar Yadav’s elite record and just needs 40 more runs to score the most runs for India in a calendar year in T20I cricket.
Suryakumar Yadav currently holds the record, having scored 1164 runs to his name in 31 matches back in 2022. Abhishek Sharma currently has 1125 runs in 37 matches in 2026 and will look to break Suryakumar Yadav’s record.
Abhishek Sharma won the POTM award in the third T20I
Scoring 113 runs in 38 deliveries, Abhishek Sharma was crucial for India in the third T20I as the Men in Blue won their third straight game in the series. For his performance, the star batter won the Player of the Match award as well and opened up on his performance as well.
“I think the key was pretty simple. It was just me and Vaibhav, just going to enjoy there for a bit, especially in the powerplay. And especially when we were fielding, we were observing the pitch a bit because of this extra bounce. But I feel the dimensions of the ground, we could use the powerplay and we could use their pace as well. So that was the easy plan. And then, obviously, the way he started the first over, Vaibhav, I think that was really special. And that was the plan for us, get the momentum for the team and then just keep going,” Abhishek Sharma said in the post-match presentation ceremony.