Napier, Jan 23: Team India started the ODI series against New Zealand on a positive note as they registered a comprehensive eight-wicket in the opening one-day international here on Wednesday (January 23).
Coming back from a confident-boosting series win against Australia, the Virat Kohli-led side put up a disciplined show in every department. Having restricted a star-studded side to a paltry 157 in 38 overs, thanks to some brilliant bowling effort from the pacers as well as the spinners, India chased down the target in 34.5 overs, with eight wickets to spare.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan top-scored from either side with his unbeaten knock of 75 runs as captain Kohli missed out on a well-deserved fifty. The duo looked comfortable in the run chase before Kohli was dismissed for 45 while attempting a half-hearted pull shot.
Earlier, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to bat first but that was the only positive for him and his team to take from this game. The hosts received early blows in their innings as their in-form openers Martin Guptill (5) and Colin Munro (8) were dismissed cheaply in the first powerplay by Shami.
Williamson held fort from his end but never got the support from the other end as wickets kept falling at regular interval.
Indian spinners (Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kedar Jadhav) shared seven wickets amongst them and kept the hosts under constant pressure.
Kuldeep(4/39) was the pick of the bowlers while his wrist-spin twin Chahal returned with 2/43 from his quota of 10 overs. Jadhav also had a wicket to his name.
But it was Shami who emerged as the hero for his team as he was relentless with the ball early on and never allowed the hosts to settle.
Here's how the match panned out:
COMPREHENSIVE WIN!! India hammer New Zealand by 8 wickets (via DLS Method) to take 1-0 lead in the series. Dhawan - 75* and Rayudu - 13* remain unbeaten.
Scores level! Rayudu hits a boundary over long-off.
India are 148/2 after 33 overs. 8 more runs needed to win this one.
Wicket! Virat Kohli tried to pull the short-pitched delivery from Ferguson, ends up edging it to be caught behind for 45. The skipper misses out on a well-deserved fifty. India - 132/2.
Not Out! Virat Kohli uses #DRS overturn umpire's LBW decision against him. The snicko confirmed there was contact between bat and ball. Review retained.
Shikhar Dhawan brings up his 20th half-century off 70 deliveries. The southpaw has slammed his fifty after a gap of 10 innings. Could this be the knock Dhawan was looking for to script a turnaround?
100 comes up for India in the 21st over. They are 103/1 after 21 overs as they chase 156 (DLS).
15 overs are gone and India are 76/1. Mitchell Santner has been brought into the attack by Kane Williamson.
Dropped! With his gloves on, Tom Latham fails to hold on to a miss-timed edge from Shikhar Dhawan. The wicketkeeper had to cover a lot of distance but failed to hold on to it.
Good news! Match starts and Lockie Ferguson bowls the 11th over for New Zealand. The game has been reduced to 49 overs and India's target has been reduced to 156.
Match has been stopped because of SUN🌞!! Yes, you read it correctly. Apparently, the Sun's direct rays are making it impossible for the batsman on strike to spot the ball. Umpires have halted the game for some time. Normally, the pitches in cricket grounds are laid in a North-South direction precisely to avoid such a scenario, but at McLean Park, the pitch is facing East-West, hence the issue. India are 44/1 after 10 overs.
That is a first for me. Game called off because the setting sun is in the batsman's eyes! Surely pitches have to be laid north-south!!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 23, 2019
Wicket! Rohit Sharma has been dismissed by Doug Bracewell for 11. The opener has been dismissed soon after the long break. India lose their first wicket in the run chase as Martin Guptill takes a simple catch at slip. India - 41/1 after 9.2 overs.
Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are out into the middle to resume innings. Doug Bracewell starts bowling.
Break! India are 41/0 after 9 overs in the chase of 158. The run chase will resume after a dinner break at McClean Park.
5000 ODI runs for Shikhar Dhawan in his 119th match in India colours. He's the second fastest to the milestone.
🚨 MILESTONE ALERT 🚨
— ICC (@ICC) January 23, 2019
Shikhar Dhawan becomes the second fastest Indian to 5,000 ODI runs in the first ODI against New Zealand.#NZvIND LIVE 👇 https://t.co/Wslkq5ocbd pic.twitter.com/p7nNkSsNoz
India are 26/0 after 7 overs.
Four! Thick outside edge from Shikhar Dhawan off Tim Southee. He was never in control of that shot but the ball landed safely in the no man's land and crosses the boundary. India - 11/0 after 4 overs.
Four! Thick outside edge from Shikhar Dhawan off Tim Southee. He was never in control of that shot but the ball landed safely in the no man's land and crosses the boundary. India - 11/0 after 4 overs.
End of 2 overs, India are 5/0 in the run chase of 158.
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are into the middle to start India's run chase of 158 against New Zealand. Trent Boult starts with the new ball.
Spinners Kuldeep (4/39), Chahal (2/43), Jadhav (1/17) and pacer Shami (3/19) were simply too good for the New Zealand batsmen to handle.
One for the record: 7 wickets by the Indian spinners combined (Kuldeep Yadav 4, Yuzvendra Chahal 2, Kedar Jadhav 1) is the most taken by spinners in an ODI innings at the McLean Park in Napier. #NZvIND
— Arun Gopalakrishnan (@statanalyst) January 23, 2019
All Out! Fourth wicket for Kuldeep Yadav! NZ have been bundled out for 157 in 38 overs. Superb bowling performance from India.
SIX! Tim Southee pulls Kuldeep Yadav for a maximum.
Wicket! Quick stumping from MS Dhoni ends Lockie Ferguson's innings for duck. Kuldeep gets the third of the innings and NZ are 148/9.
Dropped! Shikhar Dhawan also puts down a sitter at long-off and Tim Southee gets a breather. Fielding hasn't been up to the mark for India today.
Dropped! Shikhar Dhawan also puts down a sitter at long-off and Tim Southee gets a breather. Fielding hasn't been up to the mark for India today.
Wicket! Kuldeep strikes twice in the same over. Dough Bracewell (7) chops it on to his stumps. It was the wrong'un from the Chinaman. NZ - 146/8 in 35.5 overs.
Big Wicket! New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (64) holes out Kuldeep Yadav, finds Vijay Shankar at long on. NZ - 146/7 in 33.1 overs. The drinks break resulted in the lapse of concentration for the NZ skipper.
After 32 overs, NZ are 140/6. Williamson - 63* is looking composed as ever.
Wicket! Shami gets his third wicket of the innings as he traps Mitchell Santner in front. The all-rounder's innings comes to an end for 14. NZ - 133/6 in 29.4 overs.