New Zealand beat India by seven wickets in the 2nd Test to complete a 2-0 series whitewash over the visitors and extend their unbeaten streak at home to 12 Test matches and six successive series wins. This is also the second consecutive time that India have suffered a humiliating Test series whitewash in New Zealand and incidentally, this was their first whitewash in a Test series since the 0-2 defeat in Australia in 2014/15, which also the last time MS Dhoni played Test cricket. Chasing 132 to win, New Zealand had little trouble in getting home despite the loss of three wickets. Tom Latham (52) and Tom Blundell (55) stitched a century-run partnership and one run more to suck the punch out of the Indian bowlers before Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls drove the Kiwis home. NZ Beat IND By 7 Wickets.

Starting the day needing to post a respectable target on board, India lost Hanuma Vihari in the very third over the match with Tim Southee striking early for the home team. Trent Boult then found Rishabh Pant’s edge in the very next over and soon India’s any remaining hopes of returning home with a draw dwindled with the visitors folding after only 28 runs to the overnight’s score. That set New Zealand a target 0f 132 runs to win while India needed to strike early and strike frequently.

But Latham and Blundell killed off all chances with a hundred-run partnership with both the opening batsman hitting half-centuries, Latham scored fifties in both the innings of a Test where neither sides managed to post in excess of 250. But with New Zealand 30 runs shy of their 101st Test win, Umesh Yadav struck. Yadav removed Latham before Jasprit Bumrah’s twin wickets brought some respite. But New Zealand needed 11 to win when Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls joined hands and took their home side home in a canter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 02, 2020 08:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).