Wellington: Former India opener Aakash Chopra has responded to social-media trolling after his prediction that a target of more than 170 runs would be difficult to chase in the third T20 International between India and New Zealand proved spectacularly wrong. India chased down 199 runs in just 13.2 overs on Tuesday, October 27, powered by Abhishek Sharma’s blistering century and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive opening contribution.

Chopra had posted on X during New Zealand’s innings that a target above 170 appeared challenging on the Wellington surface. However, India’s batters produced an extraordinary display of power-hitting, reaching 100 runs in just five overs and completing the chase with 40 deliveries remaining.

The emphatic six-wicket victory gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, leaving Chopra to address the reaction to his prediction.

‘Twitter brings the worst out of all of us’

Responding in a video shared by ESPNcricinfo, Chopra acknowledged the criticism and made a light-hearted attempt to defend his original assessment.

“I think people should stay away from Twitter because it tends to bring the worst out of all of us,” he said, before joking that his prediction had actually referred to a 10-over chase.

Chopra added that he had meant it would be difficult to complete the chase in just 10 overs, concluding humorously that he had been right on that point.

His comments came after cricket fans highlighted the contrast between his prediction and India’s remarkable run chase. The team not only surpassed New Zealand’s total but did so at a pace that left little opportunity for the hosts to recover.

The former opener’s response combined humour with an explanation of why he had initially expected the target to be challenging. He pointed to the movement available to the bowlers during the opening overs and the conditions discussed by commentators during New Zealand’s innings.

Chopra explains why the pitch looked difficult

Chopra maintained that the surface had shown signs of movement early in the match. He said the ball was moving off the pitch and that commentators had also described the conditions as tricky, with sideways wind adding to the challenge.

He expressed surprise at how comprehensively India’s batters overcame those conditions, observing that the team had made a mockery of what initially appeared to be a difficult chase.

New Zealand had posted 198/3 in their allotted 20 overs, a total built around Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 89 off 52 balls and Finn Allen’s 40 from 25 deliveries. The score gave the hosts a competitive platform, but India’s response quickly changed the complexion of the match.

Chopra’s assessment was made before India began its chase. The extraordinary scoring rate produced by the opening pair demonstrated how difficult it can be to judge a T20 target when batters are in exceptional form.

Abhishek Sharma leads India’s stunning chase

Abhishek Sharma was the standout performer, smashing 113 runs off just 38 balls. He reached his century in 35 deliveries and struck nine fours and 11 sixes during an innings that overwhelmed New Zealand’s bowling attack.

The left-hander received strong support from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who scored 45 off 19 balls. The pair added 133 runs for the opening wicket, giving India an extraordinary start and putting the required run rate firmly under control.

India scored 118 runs without losing a wicket in the six-over powerplay, setting a new record for the highest powerplay total in men’s T20I cricket. The team also reached 100 runs in five overs, underlining the extraordinary pace of the chase.

Sooryavanshi was dismissed in the eighth over, but India had already reached 133. Abhishek continued the assault before departing for 113, leaving the middle order with only a small number of runs to complete.

India eventually finished at 199/4 in 13.2 overs, winning by six wickets and sealing the series with two matches still to play.

India’s batting puts predictions to the test

The match illustrated how rapidly a T20 contest can change when a batting partnership gathers momentum. New Zealand’s total appeared competitive after its innings, but the aggressive approach adopted by Abhishek and Sooryavanshi transformed the chase into a one-sided affair.

For Chopra, the episode became a reminder of how quickly predictions can attract attention on social media, particularly when a team produces an exceptional performance. His response sought to explain his original reasoning while acknowledging the extraordinary nature of India’s batting display.

India’s victory also confirmed its dominance in the series, with the visitors winning all three opening matches. The team will now look to maintain its momentum in the remaining fixtures, while New Zealand will seek a response after a defeat in which its bowlers struggled to contain the Indian openers.

Chopra’s prediction may have become a talking point online, but the defining story of the Wellington match was India’s record-breaking chase, led by Abhishek’s 35-ball century and Sooryavanshi’s fearless start.