"No.1 T20 batter in the world right now" - S Badrinath showers huge praise for star batter after India’s six-wicket win in NZ vs IND 2026 3rd T20I

Former cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath showered huge praise on star batter Abhishek Sharma after India's six-wicket victory against New Zealand in the third T20I. The Men in Blue chased down 199 in just 13.2 overs.

Abhishek led the charge, setting up the victory with a scintillating century. He smashed 113 runs off just 38 balls, with nine fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 297.37. It was his fourth T20I hundred and his 11th in all T20 cricket.

Badrinath stated that West Indies legend Chris Gayle is considered the most dynamic T20 opener. However, he reckoned that in modern-day cricket, Abhishek Sharma was right up there and among the best openers. He also credited the left-hander for India's reputation as a dangerous batting unit, and hailed him as the No.1 T20I batter at present.

"One T20 opener who we always remember is Chris Gayle. We have seen many times that there is no other opener as dynamic as he is. But now, if you take modern-day T20 cricket, it is Abhishek Sharma. He may not have a physically enduring appearance like Gayle, but his game is definitely very imposing and aggressive. We can say that he is on another level. For me, in modern-day T20 cricket, he is one of the best openers. What a performance this has been. It is very difficult for any team playing against India. No matter how much they score, 200 or 250, any score is not safe in front of this batting line-up. And the main reason for that is Abhishek Sharma. The team is in a good mindset as they are playing and winning this way. For me, Abhishek is the No.1 T20 batter in the world right now," he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

In all T20s, Abhishek has 6606 runs from 220 games at an average of 33.19 and a strike rate of 179.26, with 11 hundreds and 40 half-centuries.

India sealed the series 3-0

With this win, India sealed the series 3-0 with two games remaining. For his blistering century, Abhishek Sharma was awarded 'Player of the Match'. The Men in Blue won the first T20I by four wickets and the second one by the same margin.

For Shreyas Iyer, it is his first overseas series victory as captain. Earlier, he suffered series defeats in Ireland and England. The skipper would be relieved to have redeemed himself as captain.

India will aim to carry the momentum and continue their dominance in the series. They will look to complete a 5-0 whitewash. The fourth T20I will be played in Auckland on Friday, October 30, while the final game will be played in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1.

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