IND v NZ, 3rd ODI: India prevail in the nerve-wracking thriller; win by 6 runs to take the series

The Men in Blue kept their nerve in a humdinger as New Zealand capitulated in the end and lost the game by mere six runs and the series by 2-1. The spectators at the Green Park in Kanpur were treated to some magnificent cricket by both the teams. The Kiwis pushed India to the corner in this series but unfortunately for them, the hosts came out on top courtesy their death bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. For the visitors, it was Tom Latham who was brilliant throughout the series and scored runs every time he went out in the middle.

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the crucial toss and opted to field first in the decider as both the teams went in unchanged. The home team rode onto the centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli who came together after the early wicket of Shikhar Dhawan. They consolidated first and then took calculated risks on their way to respective milestones. The love affair between the deciders and Sharma continued as he brought up his 15th hundred. Kohli had another day at the office and notched up his 32nd ODI century and his sixth of this year.

But the wicket of Rohit broke an outstanding partnership of 230 runs which also pegged India back a little bit. He scored 147 runs off just 138 balls and Kohli too was exceptional on the day as he contributed 113 at a strike rate of 106.60. However, the visiting bowlers came back well and picked wickets in the death. Despite having wickets in their kitty, India could only add 85 runs in the last 10 overs and lost 5 of their batsmen. Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with the figures of 2/58 and he was very well supported by Tim Southee and Adam Milne. India posted a mammoth total of 337/6 in their 50 overs which at one stage looked like more than 350.

The spirited chase

The Kiwis required to pull off one of the highest run-chases in India and they started off beautifully as Colin Munro smashed Bhuvi for 19 runs in the very first over. But Martin Guptill continued to fail in the alien conditions which brought the under-fire skipper Williamson to the middle. But he looked in fluent touch from the first delivery like his counterpart and along with Munro formed a brilliant partnership. They added 109 runs at more than run a ball before Yuzvendra Chahal castled the left-hander for 75.

The wicket snuffed the momentum for visitors as Williamson also slogged across the line off the same bowler and went back to the hut for a well made 64. But the match-winning pair at Wankhede kept their team in the hunt with a superb partnership. Tom Latham looked a class player yet again and Ross Taylor too was in no fuss with the soaring asking rate. They were settled and the match was hanging in the balance when the slower ball from Bumrah bamboozled the latter. Henry Nicholls joined in and played a perfect knock as they started to take the game away from the hosts.

The game looked all but over after 46 overs when the Kiwis needed 34 off from 24 deliveries and they had just hit India’s best bowler for 15 runs. But Bhuvi who was enduring a bad day with the ball raised India’s hopes by bowling a toe-crushing yorker and disturbed the stumps of Nicholls. The duo at the death came to the fore as the pressure started to mount on the visitors. The momentum swung India’s way when Latham was run-out trying to steal a bye in the 48th over. He played another wonderful knock but couldn’t take his team over the line. Bhuvi and Bumrah once again proved why they are the best bowlers at the death and won the game for the cliffhanger for the Men in Blue by just 6 runs. New Zealand had given away the winning position and had they not panicked in the end might have pulled off the thrilling chase.

But Williamson and his men won the hearts with their performances in the series and will look to go one step better in the shortest format. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, continued to win the series under his captaincy and would now love to get things in the T20 series which will commence on Tuesday (November 1).

Brief scores

India 337/6 (R Sharma 147, V Kohli 113); (M Santner 2/58)

New Zealand 331/7 (C Munro 75, T Latham 65);( J Bumrah 3/47, Y Chahal 2/47)

Result: India won by 6 runs

Man of the Match: Rohit Sharma

Man of the Series: Virat Kohli