(Credit: X/BCCI)
Wellington, November 7 (IANS) India survived a dramatic batting collapse to beat New Zealand by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-hit second ODI here on Saturday, with persistent showers bringing an abrupt end to the contest after the visitors had slumped to 113/7 in 26 overs while chasing 135.
New Zealand’s pace attack had put India under severe pressure after the hosts were bowled out for 134 in 41 overs, but the visitors were marginally ahead of the DLS par score when rain forced the players off for the final time.
The match, which had already been reduced to 47 overs per side following a one-hour delay at the start due to rain, looked set to offer India a straightforward chase. However, New Zealand’s seamers made the most of the conditions to turn the contest into a gripping battle, with Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson claiming three wickets apiece.
India’s pursuit suffered an immediate setback when captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for a golden duck in the opening over. Duffy found movement outside off and induced an edge that Henry Nicholls held at second slip.
Virat Kohli briefly offered a glimpse of his class with a trademark cover drive, but Duffy struck again in the fourth over, drawing him into a drive that held up on the surface before Will Young completed the catch at cover-point. Kohli deParted for seven off seven balls.
Rohit Sharma, who had struggled to find his rhythm against Jamieson, managed a couple of boundaries and two sixes but never looked entirely settled. The New Zealand pacer eventually ended his stay on 23 off 28 balls, with Nicholls taking a catch at second slip after Rohit went hard at a delivery outside off.
India were 40/3 after 11 overs when Jamieson continued to trouble the batters with his extra bounce. Axar Patel, once again promoted to No. 5, struggled to get going and fell for seven, guiding Matthew Fisher’s delivery straight to Duffy at third man. The dismissal left India reeling at 47/4 in the 13th over.
Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul then attempted to rebuild the innings, putting together 39 runs for the fifth wicket. Iyer looked increasingly assured as the partnership developed, striking four boundaries and a six in his 30 off 46 balls. However, Jamieson returned to break the stand with a sharp, in-seaming short delivery that Iyer could only fend towards Tom Latham.
Rahul, who had taken time to settle, began to find some momentum with a six and two boundaries. Naman Dhir offered brief support, scoring 12 off 16 balls, but Duffy removed him with a short delivery that was pulled straight to Tim Seifert at deep backward square leg. Jamieson then accounted for Anshul Kamboj, who edged an attempted cross-batted shot to Duffy at third man, leaving India at 113/7 after 26 overs.
Rahul remained unbeaten on 26, while Auqib Nabi was on one when the rain returned. With India three runs ahead of the DLS par score at the end of the 26th over, the players were forced off. The downpour intensified, and despite efforts by the ground staff to prepare the field for a possible resumption, conditions did not improve. The match was eventually called off at 23:00 local time, handing India a four-run victory on the DLS method.
Earlier, India’s bowlers had restricted New Zealand to 134, with Gurnoor Brar leading the effort with a career-best four-wicket haul. Auqib Nabi and Anshul Kamboj struck early to reduce the hosts to 23/3, before Brar removed Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips in the same over to leave New Zealand struggling at 53/5.
Daryl Mitchell’s 55 off 104 balls and Mitchell Santner’s 31 offered resistance through a 59-run sixth-wicket partnership, but Brar broke the stand by dismissing Santner before returning to remove Nathan Smith. Axar Patel claimed two wickets, while Kamboj finished the innings by bowling Blair Tickner, as New Zealand were bundled out for 134 in 41 overs.
The result gives India a victory in a contest that looked destined for a tense finish, with New Zealand’s bowlers having brought the chase firmly back into the balance before the weather intervened.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 134/10 in 41 overs (Daryl Mitchell 55, Mitchell Santner 31; Gurnoor Brar 4-30, Anshul Kamboj 2-25) lost to India 113-7 in 26 overs (Shreyas Iyer 30, KL Rahul 26; Jacob Duffy 3-35, Kyle Jamieson 3-35) by 4 runs via DLS method.
