Spirited Bowling Helps NZ Stun India, Gains Unassailable Lead in ODI Series

Auckland [New Zealand], Feb 8 (ANI): New Zealand bowlers displayed a spirited bowling performance to stun India by 22 runs in the second ODI of the three-match series on Saturday here at the Eden Park.With this win, New Zealand has gained a 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series.Chasing 274, India got off to the worst possible start as the side found itself at 71/4 in the 14th over. Prithvi Shaw (24), Mayank Agarwal (3), Virat Kohli (15) and KL Rahul (4) all failed to leave a mark, leaving the visitors in a spot of bother.Kedar Jadhav and Shreyas Iyer put on a brief stand of 25 runs, but their vigil at the crease came to an end, as Tim Southee dismissed Jadhav (9) in the 21st over, reducing India to 96/5.Iyer, then found support in Ravindra Jadeja and the duo started to move the scoreboard at a brisk pace.En route, Iyer brought up his half-century in the 28th over. However, as soon as the landmark was reached, the right-handed Iyer (52) was sent back to the pavilion by Hamish Bennett, reducing India to 129/6.New Zealand managed to take wickets at regular intervals, and India was left dependent on Jadeja. Navdeep Saini who came out to bat at number nine provided support to the experienced Jadeja and the duo put on 76 runs.With 45 runs away from the target, India lost the wicket of Saini (45) in the 45th over as Kyle Jamieson clean bowled him. However. the task proved too much for Jadeja and in the end, India lost the match by 22 runs.Earlier, Ross Taylor's unbeaten knock of 73 runs enabled New Zealand to post 273/8 against India in the allotted fifty overs. Yuzvendra Chahal scalped three wickets while Ravindra Jadeja took one.Put in to bat first, New Zealand got off to a steady start as openers Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls put on 93 runs for the first wicket. However, the introduction of spin paid a dividend for India as Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Nicholls (41), after getting him adjudged leg-before wicket.Tom Blundell, then joined Guptill in the middle, and the duo increased the tempo of the Kiwi innings by stitching a partnership of 49 runs. Looking to go after the bowling, Blundell (22) perished, as Shardul Thakur had him caught at mid-on, reducing Kiwis to 142/2.Soon after, misjudgment between the wickets cost Guptill (79) his wicket in the 30th over and New Zealand found itself with two new batters at the crease. The hero from the previous match, Tom Latham (7) also failed to leave a mark, after being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja, and this reduced the hosts to 171/4.The hosts lost key wickets of Jimmy Neesham (3), Colin de Grandhomme (5), and Mark Chapman (0) leaving, New Zealand in a spot of bother at 187/7.Chahal and Jadeja did not allow Ross Taylor to go after the bowling, and the duo kept taking wickets at the other end. In the final few overs, Taylor managed to get hold off the quick bowlers, and he allowed the hosts to go past the 270-run mark. He ended up stitching together a partnership of 74 runs with debutant Kyle Jamieson.Brief Scores: New Zealand 273/8 (Martin Guptill 79, Ross Taylor 73*, Yuzvendra Chahal 3-58) defeat India 251/10 (Ravindra Jadeja 55, Shreyas Iyer 52, Tim Southee 2-41) by 22 runs. (ANI)

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