New Zealand win their maiden ODI series in India: Stats
What's the story
New Zealand have ended their long wait for an ODI series win in India. The Kiwis won the deciding ODI against India by 41 runs at Indore's Holkar Cricket Stadium. They successfully defended 337 in a high-scoring fest. A magnificent century from Virat Kohli and Harshit Rana's explosive knock failed to get India home. Earlier, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips slammed tons for NZ.
Start
Shaky start for India
Chasing a mammoth target, India banked on openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. However, Zakary Foulkes ended the 28-run stand by dismissing Rohit. Although Kohli and Gill helped India recover from the loss, the skipper's dismissal brought them to 45/2. While the former held his end, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul departed in quick succession. India were 71/4 by 12.5 overs.
Century
Another masterful ton from Kohli
The flurry of wickets didn't affect Kohli, who displayed his resounding drives. He found a reliable partner in Reddy. Kohli and Reddy constantly rotated the strike while finding boundaries. They took India past 150. Reddy's departure against the run of play meant India were reeling at 159/5. Kohli, joined by first Ravindra Jadeja and then Harshit Rana, completed a 91-ball ton.
Landmark
Record-breaking seventh ton against NZ
According to ESPNcricinfo, Kohli completed his seventh ton against New Zealand in ODI cricket. He now has the most centuries in India-NZ ODIs, breaking a tie with his countryman Virender Sehwag (6). Only two other players have five tons in this regard. Overall, Kohli has the most 50-plus scores against the Kiwis in the format (17). He is behind Australia's Ricky Ponting (18).
Reddy
Reddy plays rescuing knock
Earlier, Reddy started with a fine boundary and rebuilt India's innings with Kohli. The duo constantly rotated the strike to get India past 150. Sixes in back-to-back overs helped Reddy reach his half-century off 51 balls. In the 28th over, Reddy fell to Kristian Clarke, pulling one straight to Will Young at midwicket. Reddy scored 53 off 57 balls (2 fours and 2 sixes).
Rana
Rana's explosive knock powers India
India lost Reddy and Jadeja in quick succession, plunging to 178/6. However, Harshit Rana had other plans. He took a few balls to settle in before showing his hitting range. With over 100 runs required in under 10 overs, Rana slapped the ball hard to up the ante. A maximum off Zak Foulkes in the 44th over brought up Rana's maiden ODI half-century.
Information
Maiden ODI fifties for the duo
Both Reddy and Rana slammed their maiden half-century in ODI cricket. The latter, who kept India alive with his big hits, fell to Foulkes for a 43-ball 52. He hammered 4 fours and as many sixes.
Information
Kohli departs for a terrific 124
With Rana's departure, the onus was on Kohli to get India home. As it turned out, the latter refused singles in his brief stand with Kuldeep Yadav. Succumbing to the scoreboard pressure, Kohli finally departed for 124 (108). He struck 10 fours and 3 sixes.
Information
Rohit falters in his 100th ODI in India
Earlier, Rohit faltered for the third successive ODI, scoring 11 (13). However, he achieved a major milestone by playing his 100th ODI in India. He became the sixth Indian to do so after Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Kohli, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Yuvraj Singh.
Rescue
Phillips-Mitchell stand rescues NZ
After India elected to field, Rana and Arshdeep Singh made early inroads into the top order. They sent both openers, Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway, back under 10 runs. Will Young's departure in the 13th over left NZ reeling at 58/3. For the next 31 overs, Mitchell and Phillips dominated the Indians. The two batters took the Kiwis past 270, reaching their respective tons.
Knocks
Record partnership for New Zealand
Mitchell scored a 131-ball 137, laced with 15 fours and 3 sixes. Phillips, who was cramped up initially, slammed an 83-ball ton, his second in ODIs. Arshdeep dismissed him for 106 (9 fours and 3 sixes). Phillips and Mitchell added an innings-defining stand of 219 runs (186 balls). According to Cricbuzz, this is now the second-highest partnership for NZ against India in ODIs.
Records
Mitchell attains these feats
As per Cricbuzz, Mitchell became the second NZ batter to register four successive 50-plus ODI scores against India. Mitchell joined his former skipper Kane Williamson, who recorded five such scores in 2014. According to ESPNcricinfo, Mitchell smashed his fourth ODI century against India - all of them coming on Indian soil. No other side has conceded more than two centuries to him.
Information
Splendid cameo from Bracewell
Although India made a comeback, reducing NZ to 286/6, a blistering cameo from skipper Michael Bracewell bolstered them. He added the finishing touch with an 18-ball 28* (1 four and 3 sixes).
Landmark
Record series win for NZ in India
New Zealand, led by stand-in skipper Bracewell, recorded their maiden ODI series win in India. They came back after losing the series opener. The Kiwis achieved this despite missing several marquee names. Notably, New Zealand lost as many as seven ODI series to India before winning one. The two sides first clashed in India (bilateral series) in 1988.