It was yet another humiliating 4-0 series defeat for the Men in Blue outside the subcontinent. This time it was New Zealand, the team ranked 7th in the ICC ODI rankings. India prior to the tour was ranked at the top of the table. India conceded that position to Australia mid-way through the series losing consecutive matches. In the final ODI as well India maintained their losing streak, except the tie in the third match, as the Kiwis emerged victorious by a margin of 87 runs.
In the final ODI in Wellington, India went back to their policy of chasing a target which has failed miserably on last few occasions. Bowling first India failed to restrict the home side under the 300-run mark for the third time in the series as Ross Taylor (102) scored his second ton in the series. Kane Williamson maintained his good run in the tournament with a solid 88. It was mainly because of this partnership of 152 runs that NZ reached the total of 304 with the loss of 5 wickets. James Neesham (34*) and Luke Ronchi provided the late impetus that saw the host set a mammoth target in a ground relatively bigger than the other ones.
Coming on to bat, the Indian players never looked comfortable against some disciplined bowling from the Kiwis and began fall behind the asking rate right from the very beginning. Virat Kohli tried to fight a lone battle as he looked as comfortable as ever in the middle. Only other member in the team who played with consistency was Mahendra Singh Dhoni and there was no exception this time as well. As long as Kohli (82) and Dhoni (42) were there in the crease, India had some chances of avoiding a winless tournament. But once both of them went out, it was curtains for Team India. Debutant Matt Henry had a great time with ball in hand picking up 4 wickets giving away just 37 runs.
Ross Taylor won the man-of-the –match award as Kane Williamson set the record of scoring most fifty –plus scores by a Kiwi in a bilateral series. It is also New Zealand’s biggest win in their history in any bi-lateral series. Such an embarrassing series defeat has now brought India to the brink of their longest losing streak as they have now lost 7 on a row outside their home ground. What more humiliating can it be for the World Champions!
Tags: 5th ODI James Neesham Kane Williamson Luke Ronchi Mahendra Singh Dhoni Matt Henry New Zealand beat India New Zealand vs India Ross Taylor Virat Kohli
