TARGET - 193; RESULT - NEW ZEALAND WON BY 8 WICKETS
Brief Scores:
India: 92 all out in 30.5 overs (Yuzvendra Chahal 18 not out; Trent Boult 5/21, Colin de Grandhomme 3/26).
New Zealand: 93 for 2 in 14.4 overs (Ross Taylor 37 not out, Henry Nicholls 30 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/25).
A four and six to finish the proceedings. Ross Taylor hit Yuzvendra Chahal for a six off the third ball of 15th over, then played a late-cut for a four off the next ball to wrap up the match. An eight-wicket win for the Kiwis. A moral boosting win for the hosts after losing the first three matches.
For India, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/25) picked up both the wickets.
Despite the loss, India lead the series 3-1 with the fifth and final ODI is scheduled to be played at Wellington on Sunday.
Martin Guptill started the chase with a six, followed by two fours. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the last laugh. The Kiwi opener top-edged the fourth ball and Hardik Pandya took an easy catch at backward point. 14/1 after first over.
James Neesham claimed the last wicket, that of Khaleel Ahmed, as New Zealand dismiss India for a lowly 92. Strangely, this is not India's lowest score against the Kiwis. India once managed a grand total of 88 at Dambulla in 2010.
Indian innings lasted 30.5 overs with Yuzvendra Chahal top scoring with 18 runs. His spin twin Kuldeep Yadav (15), Hardik Pandya (16) and Shikhar Dhawan (13) were the other batsmen who reached the double figures.
This is India's lowest total in New Zealand, but not the lowest. India's previous lowest total in New Zealand was 108, in the first match of the 2002-03 tour, at Auckland.
Trent Boult completed his spell. And the figures read: 10-4-21-5(2.10). He removed Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya. Boult thus recorded the second-best figures by a Kiwi bowler against India. Shane Bond's 6/19 at Bulawayo in 2005 still tops the charts.
Colin de Grandhomme got three so far – Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
India were 55/8 after 22 overs with Kuldeep Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav in the centre.
Debutant Shubman Gill lasted 21 balls, caught and bowled. Carbon copy of Rohit Sharma's dismissal, to Trent Boult. He made nine. That happened off the last ball of the 12th over. Boult returned to strike again, this time to trap Kedar Jadhav (1 off 7) in front in the 14th over. India were 35/6 after 14 overs.
This was the second lowest score for India at the fall of the sixth wicket, only behind 28 against Sri Lanka at Dharamsala in 2017.
Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were the unbeaten batsmen.
India in big big trouble. Colin de Grandhomme removed both Ambati Rayudu (0 off 4) and Dinesh Karthik (0 off 3) in his first over. Kedar Jhadav joined Shubman Gill in the centre. India were 33/4 after 11 overs.
India lost both the openers, both snared by Trent Boult. First to go was Shikhar Dhawan (13 off 20), trapped in front in the sixth over. Dhawan tried to flick the fifth ball, but missed it. No review either.
Skipper Rohit Sharma ( 7 off 23)didn't last long as he offered a return catch to Boult, off the last ball of eighth over.
India were 23/2 after the end of the over with debutant Shubman Gill and Ambati Rayudu unbeaten. Both yet to open their respective accounts.
TOSS
Rohit Sharma lost the toss in his 200th ODI match. Kane Williamson asked India to bat first. And as expected batting talent, Shubhman Gill makes his debut. The youngster gets his India cap from Dhoni. But the former captain will be warming the bench. India have also made rested Mohammed Shami, who won two man of the match awards.
Playing XIs:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, K Khaleel Ahmed
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wk), Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Matt Henry, Trent Boult
A confident India will aim to maintain their winning streak despite the absence skipper Virat Kohli, who has been given a break, when they take on hosts New Zealand in the fourth ODI of the five-match series at the Seddon Park, Hamilton on Thursday.
India have already taken an unassailable 3-0 lead and now, the visitors will target their biggest series win in New Zealand with vice-captain Rohit Sharma leading the team. India have never won four matches in a series in New Zealand. Their best performance was a 3-1 win in 2009, when Mahendra Singh Dhoni led India to a maiden ODI series.
