Ranchi: India paid the price for some poor shot selection as New Zealand clinched the fourth cricket ODI by 19 runs to level five-match series 2-2, here Wednesday.
Chasing a target of 281 on a slowish track, India were on course at 128 for 2 before a sudden middle-order collapse saw them lose four quick wickets as they were finally all-out for 241 in 48.4 overs.
This was India’s first loss at skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s home ground in all the international matches that they have played so far.
India’s No 1 batsman Virat Kohli (45, 51b, 2×4, 1×6) and opener Ajinkya Rahane (57, 70b, 5×4, 1×6) added 79 runs for the second wicket while skipper Dhoni disappointed the local fans managing a sedate 11 off 31 balls before Jimmy Neesham cleaned him up. He played 22 dot balls as he has now played more than 100 dot balls in his last three ODIs. Especially against left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner (1/38) who bowled 34 dot balls in all and quite a few to Dhoni.
It was Rahane’s leg before off Neesham that triggered a collapse with Dhoni following the suit. Tim Southee then dealt a telling blow by removing Manish Pandey (12) and Kedar Jadhav (0) off successive deliveries. From 128/2, India slumped to 154/6 in just five overs and it became the turning point of the match.
Pandey trying to clear mid-on was out when situation demanded a bit of discretion while Kedar was guilty of trying to hit across the line being adjudged plumb in-front. Hardik Pandya (9) also showed inexperience . Axar Patel (38, 40b, 3×4, 1×6) and Dhawal Kulkarni (25, 26b, 2×4, 1×6) did try but that was never going to be enough for the ‘Men in Blue’.
Southee (3/48) and Boult (2/40) were again on the money, so was Neesham (2/38) donning the third seamer’s role to perfection.
Earlier Martin Guptill (72, 84b, 12×4) struck a fluent half-century but kiwis failed to seize the momentum as Indian spinners did well to restrict them to a modest 260 for 7. Amit Mishra (2/42) bowled well for India.
Scorecard
New Zealand innings
Martin Guptill c Dhoni b Pandya 72, Tom Latham c Rahane b Patel 39, Kane Williamson c Dhoni b Mishra 41, Ross Taylor r o 34, James Neesham c Kohli b Mishra 6, BJ Watling c Sharma b Kulkarni 14, Anton Devcich c Pandya b Yadav 11, Mitchell Santner n o 17, Tim Southee n o 9
Extras: (lb 4, w 13) 17
Total: 260 (for 7 wickets).
Fall: 1-96 (Latham, 15.3 ov), 2-138 (Guptill, 25.1 ov), 3-184 (Williamson, 35.2 ov), 4-192 (Neesham, 37.6 ov), 5-217 (Watling, 44.3 ov), 6-223 (Taylor, 45.3 ov), 7-242 (Devcich, 47.6 ov).
Bowling: Umesh Yadav 10-1-60-1, Dhawal Kulkarni 7-0-59-1, Hardik Pandya 5-0-31-1, Amit Mishra 10-0-41-2, Axar Patel 10-0-38-1, Kedar Jadhav 8-0-27-0.
India innings
Ajinkya Rahane lbw b Neesham 57, Rohit Sharma c Watling b Southee 11, Virat Kohli c Watling b Sodhi 45, MS Dhoni b Neesham 11, Axar Patel b Boult 38, Manish Pandey c Latham b Southee 12, Kedar Jadhav lbw b Southee 0, Hardik Pandya c Latham b Santner 9, Amit Mishra r o 14, Dhawal Kulkarni n o 25, Umesh Yadav c Taylor b Boult 7; Extras: (lb 3, w 9) 12
Total: 241 (in 48.4 overs).
Fall: 1-19 (Sharma, 4.1 ov), 2-98 (Kohli, 19.5 ov), 3-128 (Rahane, 27.2 ov), 4-135 (Dhoni, 29.2 ov), 5-154 (Pandey, 32.2 ov), 6-154 (Jadhav, 32.3 ov), 7-167 (Pandya, 35.6 ov), 8-205 (Mishra, 42.1 ov), 9-207 (Patel, 42.3 ov), 10-241 (Yadav, 48.4 ov).
Bowling: Tim Southee 9-0-40-3, Trent Boult 9.4-1-48-2, James Neesham 6-0-38-2, Mitchell Santner 10-0-38-1, Ish Sodhi 10-1-52-1, Anton Devcich 4-0-22-0.
