Bay Oval: After initial jitters, India defeated New Zealand in the fifth and final ODI by 22 runs at Bay Oval on Sunday. India won the series 3-1, with the third match being abandoned due to rain.
The match witnessed a sensational performance by India’s pace attack, which helped the visitors defend a modest total of 209 runs.
After losing all their wickets in 42.1 overs, India produced a disciplined bowling display to dismiss New Zealand for 187 in 48.1 overs.
The pace attack was led by Arshdeep Singh, who ended his spell with three wickets, giving away only 30 runs. Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel picked up two wickets each. Auqib Nabi, Yash Thakur and Naman Dhir also chipped in with a wicket apiece to keep the hosts under pressure throughout the chase.
The Player of the Match award was presented to Arshdeep, while Siraj received the Game Changer of the Match award. Gurnoor Brar, who was named the Player of the Series, has left the ODI squad to join preparations for the upcoming Test series against the hosts.
This marked India’s third ODI series triumph in New Zealand, following their previous successes in 2009 and the 2018-19 season.
New Zealand’s openers Tim Seifert and Will Young began cautiously before Siraj provided India with the breakthrough, dismissing Seifert for 14 off 21 balls. The hosts were 26/1 in 5.3 overs.
Young and Nick Kelly then attempted to rebuild the innings, but Arshdeep broke their partnership by removing Young for 22. The left-arm pacer struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Kelly (22) and Finn Allen (1) to leave New Zealand struggling at 83/4 in 21.3 overs.
Dean Foxcroft and Michael Bracewell tried to steady the chase, taking the hosts past the 100-run mark. However, Auqib Nabi and Yash Thakur struck in quick succession to remove Bracewell (19) and Foxcroft, who top-scored for New Zealand with 31 off 42 balls, including five boundaries.
Reduced to 119/6 in 31.1 overs, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner and Kristian Clarke attempted to keep the chase alive. Their resistance brought New Zealand to 155/6 after 40 overs, leaving them needing 55 runs from the final 10 overs.
Naman Dhir provided India with a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Santner for 24 off 31 balls before Arshdeep removed Clarke for 16 to leave New Zealand reeling at 161/8.
Axar then accounted for Jacob Duffy, who scored nine, with Virat Kohli completing the catch near the boundary. With 23 runs still required from the final two overs, Axar returned to dismiss Blair Tickner for 14, wrapping up New Zealand’s innings at 187 in 48.1 overs.
Put in to bat, India suffered an early setback as Rohit Sharma fell for seven, caught by Dean Foxcroft off Duffy in the sixth over. Virat Kohli followed soon after, edging Fisher to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert for five.
Duffy struck again to remove Ruturaj Gaikwad for 18, leaving India reeling at 34/3 in 8.1 overs.
Axar and Shreyas Iyer then attempted to rebuild the innings, putting together a useful partnership. Iyer struck three boundaries in his 22 off 26 balls before Blair Tickner dismissed him with a short delivery, reducing India to 86/4 in 17.2 overs.
Axar then joined hands with Ishan Kishan to take India past the 100-run mark. However, Michael Bracewell ended Axar’s innings at 46 off 55 balls, which included five fours and a six, with Will Young taking the catch at mid-wicket.
Kishan and Dhir kept the innings moving, with the latter contributing 31 off just 22 deliveries. Their partnership added 39 runs before Santner dismissed Naman, caught by Nick Kelly, to leave India at 160/6.
Santner continued to trouble the Indian lower order, removing Auqib Nabi (5) and Yash Thakur (0) in quick succession as India slipped to 166/8.
Duffy then dismissed Kishan for 46 off 58 balls, leaving India at 183/9 in 40.3 overs. Just when New Zealand appeared poised to wrap up the innings, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj provided a late flourish.
Arshdeep smashed 14 runs off just four deliveries, including two sixes, while Siraj remained unbeaten on 14 off 20 balls. Their contribution helped India cross the 200-run mark and take the total to 209 before the innings ended in 42.1 overs.
