Mohali: Virat Kohli (154 n o, 134b, 16×4, 1×6) got his 26th ODI hundred as India defeated New Zealand by seven wickets here Sunday to take 2-1 lead in the five-match ODI series. Needing 286 for victory, India romped home with 10 balls to spare as Kohli and skipper MS Dhoni (80, 91b, 6×4, 3×6) took the Kiwi bowling apart with a match-winning 151-run partnership for the third wicket. After Dhoni’s departure Manish Pandey (28 n o, 34b, 3×4) gave Kohli good support to take India home. He hit Matt Henry for a boundary to the mid-wicket fence to signal India’s win.
The victory had been sealed in the 47th over when Trent Boult (4, 2, 4, 6, 2, 4) went for 22 runs with Kohli tearing him apart. Two shots in the over stood out, both lofted back-drives over the bowler. The first went for four, the second for a six as Kohli brought up his 150 in style. But then there were no extra-ordinary expressions of celebrations, just a swing of the bat as if Kohli wanted to say that it was just another day in the office.
But then it was Dhoni who had laid the platform for Kohli to lead the chase. Coming in to bat with India at 41 for two and lot more at stake than just a loss, the Indian skipper launched a furious counter-attack on the opposition. He pulled and cut with disdain and whenever the spinners came on, he was willing to hit them over the ropes. A truly captain’s knock… one that went a long way in once more putting him on a firm pedestal.
Earlier Jimmy Neesham (57, 47b, 7×4) and Henry (39 n o, 37b, 4×4, 1×6) shared a blistering 84-run stand for the ninth wicket to help New Zealand post 285 after Indian spinners reduced the visitors to a precarious 199 for eight.
New Zealand were set for their first 300 plus total of the series after Tom Latham (61, 72b, 3×4, 1×6) and Ross Taylor (44, 57b, 4×4, 1×6) laid the foundation with a solid 73-run stand for the third wicket.
Taylor’s dismissal led to a flurry of wickets and at one point of time, it appeared that they would not last even 40 overs. But Neesham and Henry kept the game alive with their partnership.
For India, Amit Mishra (2/46) and Kedar Jadhav (3/29) were among the wickets again. Pacer Umesh Yadav (3/75) scalped three wickets as well but proved expensive.
Agencies
