NEW DELHI: After his match-winning debut with the ball in the 1st ODI of the India v New Zealand series, Hardik Pandya stepped up with the bat scoring vital 36 runs in the slog overs taking India close to the target of 243, but India fell agonising short by six runs as New Zealand won the 2nd ODI at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi on Thursday and levelled the five match series 1-1 with three more matches to go.
Chasing a target of 243, India found themselves tottering at 184 for 8 after the 41st over, before Pandya and tailender Umesh Yadav joined forces combining for a 49-run stand for the ninth wicket. The New Zealand bowling attack, otherwise disciplined, wilted under pressure even as Pandya and Umesh soaked in immense pressure as they knocked the ball around, found gaps, converted ones in twos and managed to find that odd boundary. But the experience of Trent Boult and Tim Southee came through in tough time as they bowled marvellously well to deny India and take New Zealand to their first ever win at Kotla.
Kane Williamson's calm and composed 118 off 128 balls, despite minimal support from his fellow batsmen, had helped NZ to 242 for nine, but the Kiwi skipper got good backing from his bowlers as they managed to chip away the Indian wickets at regular intervals. India never really enjoyed an upperhand while batting, exemplified by the fact that India's best partnership was 66 runs that came for the fifth wicket between MS Dhoni (39) and Kedar Jadhav (41). However, the duo got out at crucial junctures of the match and despite Pandya's valiant knock New Zealand emerged victorious in a thriller.
Boult registered a fantastic spell of 10-2-25-2, while Matt Henry (1/51), Southee (3/52), Mitchell Santner (1/49) and Martin Guptill (2/6) found themselves among the wickets. After India were reduced to 72 for 4, Dhoni and Jadhav had reignited the fledging Indian innings but their departures in quick succession coupled with an extraordinary 41st over bowled by Guptill put New Zealand in front. Pandya and Umesh upped the hopes of the ruckus Kotla crowd, but NZ pushed through for the victory.
It was a good start for NZ with the ball with Henry and Boult - both drafted in for this game after being rested for the 1st ODI - exploiting the assistance on offer under lights and kept a check on the Indian run-rate. Rohit Sharma hit a magnificent straight six off a length ball from Henry but India could only manage 18 runs off the first six overs. Rohit however departed edging a back of length delivery from Boult to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi for 15. Virat Kohli went for a flick to a delivery going down leg but only managed an edge off Mitchell Santner which was taken superbly by Ronchi.
Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane then took India's score past the fifty-run mark. The slowness of the Kotla pitch was evident when the slow bowlers -Santner and Anton Devcich - operated but against pacers the Indian duo looked at ease. But Rahane was undone by a bouncer from Southee and walked back after scoring 28 off 49 balls. In the next over - the 20th - Pandey perished to a run-out and India found themselves in trouble at 72 for four.
The duo of Jadhav and Dhoni took time to get their eye in and then upped the ante with Jadhav playing the aggressor's role. With 109 runs in 20 overs and Dhoni in the middle meant India were ahead, if only marginally, but the wicket Jadhav by Henry halted India's momentum. Jadhav had used the late dab towards third man for runs and he tried to guide another outside off delivery past the wicketkeeper, only this time, it was full delivery and an edge to Ronchi was well taken by the keeper. Still Dhoni was in the middle but he clearly was struggling to get going consuming 65 balls for his 39 runs and his wicket by Southee in the 40th doused hopes of an Indian comeback. Dhoni drove a pitched up delivery just a bit too early and Southee took a superb one-handed return catch to send the Indian skipper packing.
Then, New Zealand found an unlikely wicket-taker in Guptill as the opener removed Axar Patel and Amit Mishra in the 41st over to leave India tottering at 184 for 8.
Chasing a target of 243, India found themselves tottering at 184 for 8 after the 41st over, before Pandya and tailender Umesh Yadav joined forces combining for a 49-run stand for the ninth wicket. The New Zealand bowling attack, otherwise disciplined, wilted under pressure even as Pandya and Umesh soaked in immense pressure as they knocked the ball around, found gaps, converted ones in twos and managed to find that odd boundary. But the experience of Trent Boult and Tim Southee came through in tough time as they bowled marvellously well to deny India and take New Zealand to their first ever win at Kotla.
Kane Williamson's calm and composed 118 off 128 balls, despite minimal support from his fellow batsmen, had helped NZ to 242 for nine, but the Kiwi skipper got good backing from his bowlers as they managed to chip away the Indian wickets at regular intervals. India never really enjoyed an upperhand while batting, exemplified by the fact that India's best partnership was 66 runs that came for the fifth wicket between MS Dhoni (39) and Kedar Jadhav (41). However, the duo got out at crucial junctures of the match and despite Pandya's valiant knock New Zealand emerged victorious in a thriller.
Boult registered a fantastic spell of 10-2-25-2, while Matt Henry (1/51), Southee (3/52), Mitchell Santner (1/49) and Martin Guptill (2/6) found themselves among the wickets. After India were reduced to 72 for 4, Dhoni and Jadhav had reignited the fledging Indian innings but their departures in quick succession coupled with an extraordinary 41st over bowled by Guptill put New Zealand in front. Pandya and Umesh upped the hopes of the ruckus Kotla crowd, but NZ pushed through for the victory.
It was a good start for NZ with the ball with Henry and Boult - both drafted in for this game after being rested for the 1st ODI - exploiting the assistance on offer under lights and kept a check on the Indian run-rate. Rohit Sharma hit a magnificent straight six off a length ball from Henry but India could only manage 18 runs off the first six overs. Rohit however departed edging a back of length delivery from Boult to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi for 15. Virat Kohli went for a flick to a delivery going down leg but only managed an edge off Mitchell Santner which was taken superbly by Ronchi.
Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane then took India's score past the fifty-run mark. The slowness of the Kotla pitch was evident when the slow bowlers -Santner and Anton Devcich - operated but against pacers the Indian duo looked at ease. But Rahane was undone by a bouncer from Southee and walked back after scoring 28 off 49 balls. In the next over - the 20th - Pandey perished to a run-out and India found themselves in trouble at 72 for four.
The duo of Jadhav and Dhoni took time to get their eye in and then upped the ante with Jadhav playing the aggressor's role. With 109 runs in 20 overs and Dhoni in the middle meant India were ahead, if only marginally, but the wicket Jadhav by Henry halted India's momentum. Jadhav had used the late dab towards third man for runs and he tried to guide another outside off delivery past the wicketkeeper, only this time, it was full delivery and an edge to Ronchi was well taken by the keeper. Still Dhoni was in the middle but he clearly was struggling to get going consuming 65 balls for his 39 runs and his wicket by Southee in the 40th doused hopes of an Indian comeback. Dhoni drove a pitched up delivery just a bit too early and Southee took a superb one-handed return catch to send the Indian skipper packing.
Then, New Zealand found an unlikely wicket-taker in Guptill as the opener removed Axar Patel and Amit Mishra in the 41st over to leave India tottering at 184 for 8.
No comments:
Post a Comment