Ranchi: New Zealand have managed to level the five-match ODI series 2-2, after a 19-run win over India, at the JSCA International Stadium, in Ranchi, on Wednesday.
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill set the tune of the match, after visiting captain Kane Williamson won the toss, and elected to bat first.
Guptill and Latham got the Kiwis off to a good start, and the former continued his onslaught on the Indian bowlers, even after his opening partner was dismissed.
However, the Indians turned things around after Pandya picked up Guptill's wicket. The visitors looked like they would be able to set India a big target, as long as Guptill was at the crease. However, the Indian bowlers put a leash on the New Zealand innings in the middle overs, with Amit Mishra picking up the two crucial wickets of Kane Williamson and Jimmy Neesham.
India got off to a steady start in the second innings of the match. The hosts looked in complete control of the game as long as opener Ajinkya Rahane (57) Virat Kohli (45) were at the crease.
However, the dismissal of the two top order batsmen resulted in a sudden collapse of the Indian batting order, as other recognised batsmen MS Dhoni, Manish Pandey, and Kedar Jadhav failed to impress.
A devastating spell by Tim Southee turned the match completely in New Zealand's favour, after the pacer took two quick wickets, that of Pandey and Jadhav.
Axar Patel stuck around for a long time, scoring 38 runs. He had even built up a good partnership (38 runs) with lower order batsman Amit Mishra. However, a mixup while running between the wickets got the better of the duo.
Umesh Yadav and Dhawal Kulkarni also did well in the end, to put up a 34-run partnership for the 10th wicket. However, the Kiwis were too far ahead by then, for the two tail-enders to affect the game.
Scorecard:
New Zealand: 260/7 from 50 overs (Guptill 72; Mishra 2-42)
India: 241 all out from 48.4 overs (Rahane 57; Southee 3-40)
New Zealand win by 19 runs, level series 2-2
That wicket marks the end of the match at MS Dhoni's home ground in Ranchi, as New Zealand win by 19 wickets. Guptill and Southee's performances with the bat and ball, respectively, have helped the Kiwis get the win.
India: 241 all out from 48.4 overs
WICKET! Umesh tried a flat batted slap on a slower delivery by Boult. However, he could not time it properly, and lobbed up an easy catch for Ross Taylor.
India: 238/9 from 48 overs
Just 4 off the last over. Kulkarni and Umesh are hanging in there, to give India a chance. NZ need just one wicket. Boult into the attack.
India: 234/9 from 47 overs
Three overs to go. Umesh and Kulkarni are putting up a good last wicket fight. India need 27 to win from 18 balls.
India: 207/9 from 42.3 overs
WICKET! India's hopes are all but over now. Boult's in-swinging yorker knocks over Axar Patel's stumps.
India: 204/8 from 42.1 overs
WICKET! Mishra wanted two runs off an Axar shot to the deep. That run was never on though, as Snatner collected the ball smartly, and sent in a good throw. The mixup results in a needless runout. The duo were beginning to take the attack to the New Zealand bowlers.
India: 189/7 from 40 overs
the match is still quite finely balanced, as India need 72 runs to win from 60 balls. New Zealand on the other hand, need three wickets. The last 10 overs should be interesting.
India: 167/7 from 36.2 overs
WICKET! Santner picks up his first wicket of the game, as Pandya dances down the track to play an uppish drive towards long-off. Latham takes a smart running catch.
India: 161/6 from 35 overs
India are in deep trouble now. The hosts need Pandya and Patel to stay at the crease for some time, in order to get a good chance to get close to the New Zealand total.
India: 154/6 from 32.3 overs
WICKET! Southee on a hattrick! Kedar Jadhav completely misses the line of the ball, whoich goes on to hit him on the pads. A straightforward decision for the umpire.
India: 154/5 from 32.2 overs
WICKET! Manish Pandey becomes the fifth Indian victim. Pandey's well-timed shot was headed straight for the boundary, but Latham plucked the ball out of the air.
India: 135/4 from 29.2 overs
WICKET! New Zealand get the all-important wicket of Dhoni. Neesham's good-length delivery kept low, as Dhoni was completely taken by surprise. Neesham knocks over Dhoni's leg stump.
India: 122/3 from 25 overs
WICKET! Neesham picks up his first wicket of the innings. His in-swinger catches Rahane off guard, as the ball goes on to hit the India opener's pad, in line with the middle stump.
India: 122/2 from 25 overs
A very well-paced fifty by Rahane. While the likes of Rohit and Kohli departed early, Rahane has stuck to the crease, ensuring that the scoreboard is kept ticking at a steady pace. Brings up his half century with an elegant cut through point.
India: 98/2 from 19.5 overs
Watling goes up in appeal, after Kohli slices hard at Sodhi's delivery. The India vice-captain walks. The duo of Kohli and Rahane were building a good partnership, before the former's dismissal. Sodhi becomes the first bowler to get Kohli's wicket in an ODI at Ranchi.
India: 76/1 from 15 overs
Virat Kohli is taking the attack to the Kiwi bowlers. After a cautious start, the India vice-captain and Rahane have stepped up the scoring rate.
India: 50/1 from 10 overs
The match is finely balanced now. NEw Zealand will be happy with the early wicket of Rohit Sharma. However, India will also be happy with the proceedings, as Rahane and vice-captain Kohli seem to have stabilised the innings.
India: 19/1 from 4.1 overs
WICKET! New Zealand get the early breakthrough they were looking for. Tim Southee with an exquisite out-swinger that kissed outside edge of Rohit's bat. Easy catch behind the wicket for Watling.
India: 6/0 from 2 overs
Boult makes a good start, clocking in a maiden over. Rohit played a couple of streaky shots, but the ball did not carry to Taylor at first slip.
India: 6/0 from 1 over
Rahane hits the first boundary for India with a cracking back-foot drive. India off to a steady start.
Ranchi: The New Zealand innings has followed a rather familiar pattern, when compared to the Mohali game, after the Indian bowlers made a good comeback in the middle overs.
Openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham got the Kiwis off to a flyer, with the former scoring a brisk 71 off 84 balls.
However, the Indian bowlers went on a rampage after the fall of Guptill's wicket, as they took the last five wickets in the span of 12 overs. The Kiwis managed to score only 58 runs during this period.
Scorecard:
New Zealand: 260/7 (Guptill 71, Williamson 41; Mishra 2-42, Pandya 1-31)
India need 261 runs to win the match.
Required run rate: 5.22
NZ: 260/7 from 50 overs
The New Zealand innings comes to an end with Tim Southee smashing Umesh for a four off the last ball. While 260 looks like a decent total, the Kiwis will feel that they could have set a bigger target for India on a flat pitch in Ranchi.
NZ: 242/7 from 48 overs
WICKET! Devcich departs. Played an uppish drive off an Umesh half volley. Pandya takes a smart catch inside the circle, to register the seventh NZ wicket.
NZ: 223/6 from 45.3 overs
WICKET! Smart glovework by India skipper Dhoni. Taylor was looking for two runs, but some brilliant work by Dhoni did him in. Kulkarni's throw from the deep was a bit wide, but the India skipper brilliantly guided the ball onto the stumps, without even looking at them.
NZ: 217/5 from 44.2 overs
WICKET! Kulkarni gets into the act as well! Watling tried to slog a slow-ish delivery, but only managed to edge it to Rohit Sharma at deep fine-leg. Half the NZ top order have been dismissed now.
NZ: 201/4 from 41 overs
India have steadily made their way back into the match. amit Mishra has done well in the middle over, to get the important wickets of Kane Williamson and Jimmy Neesham. The Kiwis need to spruce-up the scoring rate in the last 10 overs. Umesh into the attack.
NZ: 192/4 from 38 overs
WICKET! Mishra picks up his second wicket. Neesham plays an uppish drive, as Kohli takes a brilliant diving catch. India are right back in the match, after a bad start!
NZ: 184/3 from 35 overs
WICKET! Amit Mishra gets his first wicket of the match. His leg-spinner caught the outside edge of Wiilliamson's bat, as Dhoni adjusted his body-position well to take the catch. The NZ skipper was looking dangerous at 41.
NZ: 184/2 from 35 overs
The NZ skipper and vice-captain have steadied the innings after a blitzkrieg by Guptill. However, The visitors' run rate however, has significantly gone down to 5.26 runs per over.
NZ: 163/2 from 31 overs
Despite the dismissal of Guptill, Williamson and Taylor have kept the scoreboard ticking at a steady pace in the last five overs. The Kiwis will be looking to put up a big total, after this good start.
NZ: 138/2 from 25.1 overs
WICKET! Hardik Pandya gets the important breakthrough! Danger man Martin Guptill edges an in-swinger off Pandya's bowling as skipper Dhoni takes a smart catch behind the wicket.
NZ: 138/1 from 25 overs
Its the halfway mark, and the Kiwis are in cruise control, with Martin Guptill calling all the shots. Williamson is giving him good support at the other end. India on the other hand, need to get the important wicket of Guptill, to stop the visitors from posting a big target.
NZ: 131/1 from 23 over
Dropped! Thsi si the second time that Guptill has been dropped by the Indian fielders. The NZ opener slices at a short and low Kedar Jadhav delivery, as the ball hurtled towards Amit Mishra in the deep. The leggie completely misjudged the flight of the ball, which sailed over him and took a bounce before going over the fence for a four.
NZ: 98/1 from 16.5 over
Guptill brings up his fifty with a smart single, as he pushes the ball towards long-on. A smart innings by the Kiwi batsman, as he brings up his 31st 50.
NZ: 94/1 from 15.3 over
WICKET! Axar Patel gets the first breakthrough. Latham attempts a big sweep, but the ball catches the top edge of his bat. Rahane takes a comfortable catch at short fineleg.
NZ: 80/0 from 10 over
DRINKS! Guptill is breezing his way towards his 31st ODI 50, as New Zealand move on to the 80-run mark. India desperately need a breakthrough to stop this flow of runs.
NZ: 40/0 from 5 over
Martin Guptill (27) is going for broke! The NZ opener got lucky a couple of overs back after a streaky boundary through the slips, but he is taking on the likes of Kulkarni and Umesh, as the Kiwis have managed to attain a run rate of more than eight runs per over. Latham (12), on the other hand, is playing the sheet anchor role.
NZ: 16/0 from 2 over
The Kiwis seem to have come out with a definite plan to target Dhawal Kulkarni. Guptill moves on to 13 from 11 balls, after hitting three boundaries in the second over.
NZ: 0/0 from 1 over
A good start by Umesh. Gets in a maiden over first-up. Guptill seems to be taking the cautious approach.
The National anthems are over, as New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham come out to bat. Umesh Yadav to bowl the first over.
Ranchi: Kane Williamson has won the toss and elect to bat in the fourth ODI against India in Mahendra Singh Dhoni's hometown Ranchi on Wednesday.
India have made one change to their side from the Mohali ODI as Dhawal Kulkarni replaces Jasprit Bumrah in the playing XI. New Zealand meanwhile have included three spinners in the team while making three changes from the side that took field in Mohali. Ish Sodhi, Anton Devcich and BJ Watling have replaced Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi and Matt Henry.
With the side leading 2-1 in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be more than happy if Team India clinches the ODI series in his hometown.
Kane Williamson-led unit meanwhile will need to spoil MS Dhoni and Co.’s part to keep alive the series. While the New Zealand skipper scored a ton in the second ODI, his side will once again bank on Tom Latham and would want their experienced and out of form duo Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor to get back among runs.
For India, their bowlers have done a fine job in all the three games in the series and Dhoni will want them to continue their good form. India, while enjoying Virat Kohli’s fine form, will be a bit concerned with the performance of their openers Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.
Teams:
India: Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni (Captain and wicketkeeper), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Dhawal Kulkarni, Umesh Yadav
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (Captain), Ross Taylor, Jimmy Neesham, Anton Devcich, BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi.
Match starts 1.30pm IST.
