Daijiworld Media Network - Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui, Nov 15: India's fast bowlers produced a superb performance to defend a modest total of 209 runs and defeat New Zealand by 22 runs in the fifth and final ODI at Bay Oval on Sunday.
The victory helped India clinch the series 3-1, handing New Zealand their first home ODI series defeat in seven years. It also marked India's first overseas ODI series triumph under head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Arshdeep Singh led the bowling attack with an impressive 3-30, maintaining a stump-to-stump line and troubling the New Zealand batters with his seam movement. Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each, while Auqib Nabi, Naman Dhir and debutant pacer Yash Thakur took one wicket apiece as the hosts were bowled out for 187 in 48.1 overs.
Captain Shreyas Iyer also deserves credit for using his pace bowlers effectively and backing them to defend the total.
The bowling effort rescued India after a disappointing batting display in which Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were dismissed for single-digit scores. Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan contributed 46 runs each, while the final-wicket partnership between Siraj and Arshdeep added a crucial 28 runs that eventually proved decisive.
New Zealand began their chase aggressively, hitting three boundaries before Siraj, playing his first match of the series, struck in the sixth over. Tim Seifert attempted a big shot across the line but was caught by the mid-on fielder for 14.
Nabi generated late movement away from the bat and bowled a maiden over in the ninth. Nick Kelly punished some loose deliveries from Siraj, but Arshdeep struck twice to put India back in control.
Ruturaj Gaikwad produced an excellent sliding catch at deep backward square-leg to dismiss Will Young for 22, while Kelly chopped the ball onto his stumps for 24.
Siraj then rattled Finn Allen's off-stump, leaving New Zealand struggling at 83/4.
India, however, missed two opportunities during the middle overs. Kohli dropped a straightforward catch at second slip off Foxcroft, while Thakur failed to hold a return catch from Michael Bracewell.
Nabi eventually dismissed Bracewell for 19, with the batter caught at deep square-leg off a bouncer.
Thakur claimed his maiden ODI wicket on the very next delivery, dismissing Foxcroft for 31 and reducing New Zealand to 119/6. The debutant had a mixed outing, flicking the stumps during his delivery stride on three occasions and being penalised with no-balls, but finished with figures of 1-38.
Mitchell Santner attempted to keep New Zealand in the contest with a few attacking strokes before falling for 24 to a slog-sweep caught at deep mid-wicket.
Kristian Clarke edged behind to Kishan off Arshdeep, while Axar Patel brought the contest to an end by having Jacob Duffy caught at long-on before getting Blair Tickner stumped for 14.
The dismissal of Tickner sealed a memorable 22-run victory for India and a 3-1 series triumph.
**Brief Scores:**
India 209 in 42.1 overs (Axar Patel 46, Ishan Kishan 46; Mitchell Santner 3-47, Jacob Duffy 3-60) beat New Zealand 187 all out in 48.1 overs (Dean Foxcroft 31, Mitchell Santner 24; Arshdeep Singh 3-30, Axar Patel 2-28) by 22 runs.