In the third ODI match of the New Zealand tour of India 2023, India beat New Zealand by eight wickets at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
After winning the toss, Rohit Sharma elected to bowl first. Given India’s current form, any decision would have been acceptable, but letting the visitors bat first felt like a praiseworthy move when the Men in Blue bowled New Zealand out for just 108 runs in 34.3 overs. Mohammad Shami, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and the rest of the team deserve special recognition for their exceptional bowling skills in this.
In the chase, Rohit Sharma (51) immediately shifted into fifth gear while playing at a 102 strike rate. The Indian captain quickly sealed India’s victory with a superb fifty, which included seven fours and two sixes. Shubman Gill (40), along with him, helped India win easily. With his flamboyant approach, the double century from the 1st ODI struck seven fours today as well, raising the hopes of the Indian fans for the future. The chase, which was completed in 21 overs, also included contributions from Virat Kohli (11), and Ishan Kishan (08).
NZ batters were struggling from start to end as the team only managed post 108 runs in the first innings. The only batters to score for NZ were Glenn Phillips (36), Mitchell Santner (27) and Michael Bracewell (22). No other batter could reach double-digit as well.
With the ball, Mohammad Shami plucked three wickets and just gave away 18 runs. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar also grabbed two wickets each. One wicket each was also taken by Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.
While defending, the Kiwis could only manage to bag two wickets. Henry Shipley and Mitchell Santner were the bowlers that got a wicket each at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.
Mohammad Shami was named Man of the Match for his excellent bowling show. Following this victory, India have claimed the ODI series by 2-0 with a match to play.
Scorecard:
New Zealand: 108/10, Overs 34.3, Glenn Phillips 36, Mohammad Shami 3/18
India: 111/2, Overs 20.1, Rohit Sharma 51, Mitchell Santner 1/28