India beat New Zealand by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in a rain-affected one-day international in Wellington on Saturday. The win gave India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series after a contest dominated by fast bowling.
New Zealand, put in to bat, managed only 134 in 41 overs, with the match reduced to 47 overs per side because of rain. India’s pace attack ripped through the hosts’ batting order, although New Zealand’s seamers later made the chase far harder than expected.
India’s pacers dismantle the New Zealand top order
Auqib Nabi gave the hosts an early setback by removing openers Tim Seifert and Will Young. Seifert’s wicket was also the right-armer’s first international scalp. New Zealand were reeling at 53-3 when Gurnoor Brar bowled a double-wicket maiden, dismissing Tom Latham and the in-form Glenn Phillips.
Daryl Mitchell offered the only sustained resistance, scoring 55 off 104 balls after being dropped on 21 when Shubman Gill failed to hold a straightforward chance at cover. Captain Mitchell Santner added 31 off 38. Brar finished with figures of 4-30, while Nabi, Anshul Kamboj and Axar Patel took two wickets each.
New Zealand’s seamers push India to the wire
India stumbled early in the chase. Jacob Duffy struck with his first ball of the innings to remove Gill for a golden duck, then dismissed veteran Virat Kohli in his next over. Rohit Sharma gave the innings early momentum, but Kyle Jamieson’s disciplined spell left India at 47-4.
Shreyas Iyer scored 30 off 46 to help revive the chase. KL Rahul stayed firm as wickets fell around him, finishing unbeaten on 26 off 38 balls with two fours and two sixes. Rain then halted play with India on 113-7, still needing 22 more runs, and the DLS calculation gave India the win by four runs.
The five-match series now moves to Hamilton on Tuesday.
