Mohali: Virat Kohli guided India to a spectacular seven wicket victory against New Zealand, at the PCA Stadium, in Mohali, on Sunday, to give the hosts a 2-1 lead in the ongoing five-match ODI series.
India looked to be in a spot of bother at the start of their innings, after both Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma were dismissed cheaply. However, MS Dhoni's decision to promote himself to no. 4 worked perfectly, as he posted a 151-run partnership with vice-captain Virat Kohli, to take India to safety.
Kohli played a very well paced innings, as the Indians controlled scoring rate throughout their innings. The 27-year-old upped the ante after he and Dhoni guided the hosts out of the choppy waters. However, there was an element of luck involved in Kohli's innings, as he was dropped early on by Ross Taylor.
Kohli later went on to score an unbeaten 154, even after Matt Henry got Dhoni's wicket. By that time however, the asking rate was too low for the New Zealand bowlers to put any real pressure on the Indians.
Earlier in the day, India failed to reduce the Kiwis to a relatively lower total after James Neesham and Matt Henry posted a 9th wicket partnership of 84 runs. Although India managed to take all the 10 New Zealand wickets by the end of the innings, Neesham and Henry's partnership ensured that the visitors posted a decent total of 285.
Scorecard:
New Zealand: 285 all out from 49.4 overs (Neesham 57, Taylor 44; Jadhav 3-29, Umesh 3-75)
India: 289/3 from 48.2 overs (Kohli 154 n.o., Dhoni 80; Henry 2-56, Southee 1-55)
India 285/3 from 48. overs
Manish Pandey finishes it off with a classy boundary, pulling a short delivery by Matt Henry away on the leg side. India win by 7 wickets.
India 285/3 from 48 overs
150 for Kohli! The vice captain has almo9st guided India to the win. India need 1 from 12 balls.
India 258/3 from 46 overs
Kohli and Manish are ticking the scoreboard at a steady pace now. Neither look like they are breaking sweat, as India inch closer to the win. India need 28 from 24.
India 251/3 from 45 overs
Victory is well within sight for India, as they cross the 250 run mark. India 35 runs from 30 balls (5 overs) to win the match.
India 214/3 from 40.1 overs
100 for Kohli! The India vice-captain brings up his 100 with a smart single. This was Kohli's 26th century in ODIs.
India 213/3 from 40 overs
10 overs to go! India have slowed down a bit since Dhoni's dismissal, but Kohli seems to be the key right now. The India vice-captain is on 99. India need 73 to win from 60 balls.
India 187/3 from 35 overs
WICKET! NZ have found the breakthrought that they needed. Prods at a wide ball by Henry, and lobs it straight towards Ross Taylor at short cover. Manish Pandey comes in to bat.
India 187/2 from 35 overs
Kohli has stepped up the show, and is nearing his 100-run mark. India now need 99 runs from 90 balls.
India 169/2 from 32 overs
Drinks! India are firmly in control of the match now. Dhoni's decision to move himself up the order has worked perfectly, as he has built up a brilliant partnership with Kohli to put NZ on the back foot. India need 117 runs from 108 balls at 6.5 runs per over.
India 143/2 from 27 overs
India are turning up the heat! Dhoni brings up the 100 run partnership with a big six off Neesham's bowling.
India 130/2 from 25 overs
Captain cool MS Dhoni also brings up his 50 with a single. India are progressing at a steady pace at the half way mark, and need 154 from 147 balls at 6.29 runs per over.
India 111/2 from 21 overs
Virat Kohli brings up a steady fifty from 49 balls. Along with skipper Dhoni, the vice-captain has managed to steady the ship. India need 175 runs at 6.03 runs per over.
India 41/2 from 8.4 overs
WICKET! NZ get both the Indian openers. Rohit tried to play Southee across the line, but the ball went on to hit him on the pads. The umpire had no hesitation in putting up his finger, as the New Zealand players went up in appeal.
India 13/1 from 2.5 overs
WICKET! Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane seemed to have gotten India off to a brisk start. However, The latter departs rather tamely, as he lobs a Matt Henry ball towards Santner in the covers. The ball seemed a bit slower than usual.
Kane Williamson and Co. would be very happy with the recovery. The 84 runs ninth wicket partnership between Neesham and Henry helped New Zealand to post a fighting total of 285. The Kiwis once were at 153/2, then they stumbled down to 199/8 and finally recovered to 285.
Kedar Jadhav was the pick of the bowler as the part-time spinner took three crucial wickets. Amit Mishra also bowled superbly and induced two stumpings.
NZ: 285/all-out from 49.4 overs
All-out! Bumrah to Boult, out Bowled. Bumrah's slow delivery does the trick. Boult was too early into his shot and missed the ball as it crushed into the stumps.
NZ: 283/9 from 49 overs
Out! Yadav to Neesham, out Caught by Jadhav. The explosive innings by the all-rounder comes to an end.
NZ: 259/8 from 47 overs
Fifty! Jimmy Neesham just scored a much needed fifty for New Zealand. The partnership with Henry has also crossed the mark of 50 runs.
NZ: 243/8 from 45 overs
Jimmy Neesham is leading the rebuilding work for New Zealnd. Matt Henry has supported him well. The partnership is now close to 50.
NZ: 218/8 from 42 overs
Surprisingly no wicket has fallen in the last four overs. Matt Henry and jimmy Neesham are at the crease for the visitors. The Black Caps dressing room would be disappointed. At one stage, they were at 153/2 from 28 overs, and then the downfall began. They lost four wickets in the next four overs.
NZ: 199/8 from 37.5 overs
Wicket! Yadav to Tim Southee, out Bowled. The ball was just short-off the length, Southee tried to swipe it on the left, gets an inside side and crashes on to the stumps.
NZ: 180/7 from 34.2 overs
Wicket! Bumrah to M Santner, out Caught! Virat kohli takes the catch at point. This is poor cricket from the visitors. The ball should have been put away but instead Santner got a leading edge.
NZ: 169/6 from 31.5 overs
Wicket! Jadhav to Latham, out caught by Pandya. The set batsman in gone and New Zealand are in deep trouble. Jadhav tossed the ball and Latham ended up scooping a catch at cover.
NZ: 161/5 from 30.1 overs
Wicket! Mishra to Luke Ronchi, out Stumped. Another stumping and another wicket. This time it's Ronchi. Mishra bowled another beauty and the Kiwi batsmen completely missed the the delivery as it turned away.
NZ: 160/4 from 29.4 overs
Wicket! Jadhav to Corey Anderson, out Caught by Rahane! Anderson hit a full toss straight to mid-off. It was bad cricket from the batsman.
NZ: 153/3 from 28.3 overs
Wicket! Mishra to Taylor, out Stumped. Taylor was looking dangerous but Mishra beat him with his bowling. The leggie tossed the bowl and Taylor missed it, the rest was taken care by Dhoni.
NZ: 133/2 from 25.1 overs
Fifty! Latham scores his second half century of the series. The batsman is playing a very crucial innings and would be looking to score a hundred.
NZ: 105/2 from 20 overs
New Zealand have crossed the hundred mark in Mohali. Both Latham and Ross Taylor are looking comfortable and are doing all they can to rebuild the Kiwi innings.
NZ: 80/2 from 13 overs
Wicket! Kedar Jadhav to Williamson, Out LBW. The Kiwi capatin will be furious with the way he got out. The batsman completely missed the ball as he tried to play the sweep shot. Jadhav has struck again for India.
NZ: 64/1 from 10 overs
Guptill's dismissal has done very little to put brakes on the Kiwis' run rate. Kane Williamson is scoring freely out there, while Latham is playing the anchor role.
NZ: 46/1 from 6.4 overs
Wicket! Yadav to Guptill, out LBW. Yet again, yadav takes the first wicket for India. Guptill was looking dangerous but could not do anything against the ball as it cut back in.
NZ: 20/0 from 4 overs
Guptill smashed Pandya out of the park for a six! The openers have made a quick start for the Kiwis.
NZ: 2/0 from 1 over
Only two runs came from the first over. There are not many fans in the stadium, hopefully the numbers would go up by the evening.
Umesh Yadav will bowl the first over for India.
Martin Guptill will begin the proceedings for New Zealand along with Tom Latham.
New Zealand XI: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson(C), Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi(W), James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Trent Boult
India XI: Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni(W/C), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
India have won the toss and have opted to field
Preview: The New Zealand team find themselves in an unfamiliar position. The Kiwis beat India in Delhi, and now for the first time on this tour, the visitors have the momentum as they face India for the third ODI in Mohali.
The five-match ODI series is nicely poised at 1-1. As far as the Indian team is concerned, MS Dhoni and Co. cannot afford another slip up in the series if they hope to move up in the ICC team rankings. India need to win the series by 4-1 to claim the third position. India presently sits at the fourth position.
India failed to chase a modest target of 243 runs in the second ODI. Suresh Raina continues to be unavailable for selection due to viral fever. The issue has only raised India’s worries as the team missed a finisher in the last match.
Ajinkya Rahane, who has replaced the injured Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the Indian batting line-up has done very little to impress. Manish Pandey will also be under the microscope in the third ODI.
Indian bowling attack has been impressive so far in the series and the same would be expected from them in Mohali.
On the other hand, the Kiwis would be delighted with their team’s performance. Kane Williamson, Tom Latham and Tim Southee have performed consistently for New Zealand.
The visitors would be hoping to avoid the batting collapse like it happened in Delhi. New Zealand went down from 158 for two in the 30th over to end up with 242.
Squads:
India: MS Dhoni (Captain and wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Amit Mishra, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jayant Yadav, Mandeep Singh.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (Captain), Tom Latham, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Luke Ronchi (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Jimmy Neesham, Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Anton Devcich, Doug Bracewell, Matt Henry, BJ Watling.
