Bowlers help India clinch ODI series
The final ODI in Visakhapatnam proved to be a one-sided contest.
Afive-wicket haul by Amit Mishra coupled with half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma saw India thrash New Zealand by 190 runs in the fifth and final OneDay International (ODI) here on Saturday.
Chasing a target of 270 runs, New Zealand collapsed for a mere 79 with Mishra returning figures of 5/18. This was the second fivewicket haul for Mishra, who took home the man of the match award. The leg-spinner was also adjudged the man of the series for a total haul of 15 wickets over the five ODIs.
India thus won the five-match series 3-2. Among the other Indian bowlers, Axar Patel notched up figures of 2/9 in his 4.1 overs while Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and debutant Jayant Yadav picked up a wicket each.
Earlier, half-centuries by Kohli and Rohit helped India post a decent total of 269/6.
Both Kohli and Rohit were off to slow starts before going for the big shots once they got their eye in.
Kohli scored 65 runs off 76 deliveries with two boundaries and a six while Rohit smashed five boundaries and three hits into the stands on his way to a 65-ball 70.
Leg-spinner Inderbir Singh Sodhi and pacer Trent Boult bagged a couple of wickets each for New Zealand. James Neesham and Mitchell Santner claimed a wicket each. Opener Ajinkya Rahane brought India's first runs on the board with a boundary through the off-side. The second boundary came in similar fashion as the right-hander clobbered a widish delivery from Boult.
However, just like in the earlier matches of the series, Rahane could not build on a good start as he hit a Neesham delivery to Tom Latham at short midwicket to return to the pavilion with a 39-ball 20. Rohit Sharma was off to a slow start before getting into his groove with a six over long-off off James Nisham.
Rohit was lucky to be handed a reprieve when on 66 when he was dropped by Ross Taylor at short midwicket off Neesham's bowling.
The Mumbai batsman could not however, make too much use of the opportunity as he was soon dismissed after mistiming a pull off Boult's bowling.
Santner trapped Dhoni leg before with a beautiful delivery.
Manish Pandey lasted all of four balls before holing out with a loose shot.
Kohli followed him to the dressing room soon after while trying to go after Sodhi. The Indian vicecaptain came down the track to Sodhi's half-volley but only managed to find Martin Guptill at long-off. An Indian victory was only a matter of time from there. IANS on Saturday.
The two sides were locked 2-2 at the end of the regulation time. For India, Talwinder Singh, Ramandeep Singh found the target in the regulation time while Seo Inwoo and Yang Jihun scored for the Koreans. In the penalty shootout, Sardar Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep and Rupinder Pal Singh scored as India entered the final. Rupinder also stepped up to convert the penalty stroke which was awarded to India after South Korean goalkeeper D. Hong hit the legs of Birendra Lakra with his stick during the fifth and final shootout effort.
Indian captain P.R. Sreejesh, who took his place under the goal after being sidelined for two be played between Pakistan and hosts Malaysia.
Right from the push-back at the Wisma Belia Hockey Stadium, India tried to build up the early moments by penetrating the defence. But the South Koreans stood solid to India's probing attacks as they denied many attempts by applying sharp man-to-man marking.
Despite the various failed attempts, the Roelant Oltmanscoached side played with the same attacking strategy and soon it paid off as in the dying minutes of the first quarter.
Talwinder, who was not in his prime touch in this tournament, found some space and played a reverse hit to give India a vital 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. IANS