India seal T20I series victory vs New Zealand with two games to spare as Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi star

Sharma, who scored the fastest T20I century against a Test-playing nation with a 30-ball ton against Afghanistan last month, was on track to surpass that feat but narrowly fell short as he brought up 113 runs off 38 deliveries.

India were set a target of 199 runs to win the third T20I and chased it down in 13.2 overs, with Sharma and 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi combining to hit the fastest team 50 in the white-ball format in just 2.2 overs.

"I think the key was pretty simple," Sharma said. "Me and Vaibhav were just going to enjoy ourselves for a bit in the power play.

"When we were fielding, we were observing the pitch. There was a bit of extra bounce, and with the dimensions of the ground we could use the power play and the pace of the ball. The plan was just to get momentum for the team."

Daryl Mitchell top-scored for the hosts in the first innings with an unbeaten 89 off 52 balls, while Finn Allen (40) and Bevon Jacobs (39no) followed up to push the hosts just shy of the 200-run mark.

Sharma and Sooryavanshi later arrived and put on a stand of 133 off 44 deliveries, before the latter was caught out by Mitchell at long on off a Matthew Fisher delivery.

Fisher almost had a second wicket three balls later after Mitchell Santner dropped Sharma on 92 at extra cover.

New Zealand would eventually remove the India batter in the 10th over, with Sharma hitting Kyle Jamieson up to Glenn Phillips, waiting at deep mid-wicket.

Santner later removed Iyer for five after he sent a delivery to Glenn Phillips at deep mid-wicket, before Jamieson had his second, bowling Sanju Samson for 18.

The result sees India seal back-to-back T20I series victories against New Zealand, following their 4-1 win on home soil in January.