India steamroll New Zealand to seal T20 series as depth and firepower send World Cup warning

What made this triumph particularly ominous for the rest of the world was how routine it looked. With the T20 World Cup looming at home, India dominated despite fielding players who are not guaranteed starters in their strongest XI, underlining the depth and flexibility at their disposal.

The contest was effectively shaped in the first half. New Zealand, asked to bat, were never allowed to settle as India's pace attack struck immediately. Harshit Rana removed Devon Conway yet again, continuing an extraordinary personal match-up, before Jasprit Bumrah produced a trademark opening spell that combined pace, accuracy and menace. His first-ball dismissal of Tim Seifert - the off stump flattened - was a reminder of why he remains the most feared fast bowler in the format.

Ravi Bishnoi, handed a role usually reserved for Varun Chakravarthy, was equally stifling in the powerplay, conceding almost nothing with his skiddy, awkward trajectory. At 34 for 2, New Zealand were already chasing the game. Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman briefly steadied the innings with a 52-run stand, but once Bishnoi removed Chapman, wickets fell steadily as the visitors were forced into risk-taking.

Mitchell Santner's late 27 provided some respectability, but Bumrah returned to end the innings with figures of 3 for 17, restricting New Zealand to 153 - a total that felt light on a good batting surface.

Any lingering hope New Zealand carried was punctured almost immediately in the chase. Sanju Samson fell first ball, but what followed bordered on brutal. Ishan Kishan exploded from the outset, dismantling Matt Henry and setting the tone with a rapid 28 from 13 balls. At the other end, Abhishek Sharma took the attack to extraordinary levels.

Repeatedly targeted with leg-side lines, Abhishek simply charged the bowlers, created room, and sent the ball soaring over both sides of the field. His half-century came up in just 14 balls - the second-fastest by an Indian - and by the end of the powerplay India were 94 for 2, agonisingly close to their highest-ever six-over total.

If Abhishek supplied the chaos, Suryakumar Yadav supplied control. Batting with growing freedom as the field spread, the captain found his trademark touch on both sides of the wicket, unfurling flicks, ramps and drives with ease. His unbeaten 57 ensured there were no alarms, and India reached the target with a full ten overs to spare.

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