After a humiliating defeat in the T20I series, New Zealand took a sweet revenge and beat India 3-0 in the ODI rubber after winning the final match at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday.
Chasing 297, New Zealand got off to a flying start and took control of the game from the very first overs. The openers Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls put on a stand of 106 runs to kickstart New Zealand’s quest for a whitewash over India.
Kane Williamson, who was making a comeback after missing the last two T20Is and first two ODIs, took to the crease following Guptill’s departure. He shared a 53-run stand with Nicholls before departing for 22.
Ross Taylor, who has been in stupendous form and single-handedly won Kiwis the first two ODIs, failed to have any impact and scored a paltry 12 off 18 balls. Nicholls, after playing a gritty 103-ball knock for 80 runs, too, walked towards the way of the pavilion and within a span of five overs New Zealand were reduced from 159/1 to 189/4.
However, Tom Latham and James Neesham steadied the ship for a brief period before the latter was dismissed for his personal score of 19 by Yuzvendra Chahal.
Joining the wicketkeeper-batsman Latham, Colin de Grandhomme came and smashed any hopes that India had grown after sending half of the Blackcaps batsmen to the pavilion. De Grandhomme scored 58 pff 28 balls, while Latham played a perfect second fiddle for his score of 32 off 34 balls.
For India, Chahal returned with the figure of 3/47, whereas Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja contributed with a wicket each.
Earlier, asked to bat first, India could not get themselves a good start as opener Mayank Agarwal and Virat Kohli walked towards the pavilion in the first powerplay itself.
Prithvi Shaw at the other end tried to steady the ship and kept the run rate flowing but not for long. It was then KL Rahul who continued his prolific run-scoring form and revived India’s fate to some extent.
Joining Shreyas Iyer at the middle, Rahul took over the reins and partnered him for a stand of 100 runs. Meanwhile, Iyer completed his half-century before getting out for 62 off James Neesham.
Rahul, though, was not to be deterred as he took along Manish Pandey for another century-run stand en route to his fourth ODI ton. His innings of 106 runs had given the Indian bowlers something to fight for.
Hamish Bennett was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers as he returned with figures of 4/64 from his 10 overs. Kyle Jamieson and Colin de Grandhomme contributed with a wicket each.