India beat New Zealand by six runs in a thrilling contest to win the third and final ODI at Green Park, Kanpur. With this win, India have registered their seventh consecutive series victory under Virat Kohli's captaincy. Jasprit Bumrah once again showed why he is counted among the best death overs bowlers in the world, he bowled a magnificent final over and finished with figures 10 overs - 47 runs - 3 wickets. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal also picked up two important wickets of dangerous Colin Munro and captain Kane Williamson. Earlier, brilliant hundreds from opener Rohit Sharma (147) and skipper Virat Kohli (113) helped India post a challenging 337/6 in the final ODI against New Zealand. Rohit struck his 15th century in ODIs, his fifth of this year and first against New Zealand, while Kohli slammed his 32nd ton and fifth against the visitors to help India score the highest total in 15 ODIs here. The previous was 303 by South Africa against India in 2015. For New Zealand, pacer Tim Southee, Adam Milne and spinner Mitchell Santner scalped two wickets each. (SCORECARD)
HIGHLIGHTS FROM INDIA VS NEW ZEALAND, 3RD ODI IN KANPUR
22.04 IST: VIRAT KOHLI is the MAN OF THE SERIES. Says that it was a pretty close game and credits New Zealand for fighting hard and forcing India to win the series. Congratulates them for a great fight and bringing out the best in his side. Says that while fielding in such tense moments, it is difficult to control one's emotions but he realizes that his bowlers know their stuff pretty well. Admits that the dew did help the ball come onto the bat nicely in the second innings. In the first, it was nice to bat in the first 35 overs but then the pitch slowed down tremendously after that and his side fell 15-20 runs short. Is happy with this win as this was like a knockout game which will help in tournament finals later on. Is happy with the Man Of The Series award as it gives a good feeling to win anyways but if you contribute to the same, the feeling just gets better.
21.56 IST: ROHIT SHARMA has been named the Man Of The Match. Says that it feels good when your team wins and you contribute. Is happy with the way India played in the series. Stresses that today was the perfect game as the home side had to be at its best throughout. Adds that they never took New Zealand lightly as they are a terrific unit in this format. Thanks to the guys who helped him with how his head position has been in this series and that helped him a lot. Credits his bowlers for sticking to the plans in spite of the dew. On the celebration of the century, he plays it down, saying that every hundred is special. Says that he was trying to do certain things which came out pretty well and thanks, Sanjay Bangar for his inputs.
21.55 IST: TOM LATHAM says that it has been a great experience to bat in the middle order. Stresses that he has been part of a great series but unfortunately, his team could not cross the line. Feels that coming over here and sticking to the game is really difficult but his side gave its best in this series. Praises the Indian bowlers for bowling superbly at the death. Says the openers did well for New Zealand tonight but they probably left too much for the lower order to do in the end.
21.40 IST:
21.32 IST: FOUR! A boundary to finish the game but INDIA WIN BY 6 RUNS and take the series 2-1. Full and outside off, Southee swings hard but gets an outside edge which flies over short third man to the boundary. The fielders are not bothered. All they care is that their team has won. End of a magnificent game of cricket. Thank you, players.
Tim Southee walks in at number 9, with New Zealand needing 2 sixes in succession to win the game.
21.29 IST: OUT! Bumrah removes Santner for 9. The ball is legal and India have another wicket! A high full toss, on middle, Santner heaves this miles in the air towards mid-wicket. He gets more height than distance and Shikhar Dhawan takes it calmly. The umpires check for the no ball. Replays show that the front foot is fine while the height of the ball is fine too. Santner has to walk back. NZ 326/7 in 49.4 overs, chasing 338
15 to get. Bumrah the bowler. Whom do you put your money on? For us, it is the man who has the ball in his hand.
21.24 IST: Should that have been a wide? Full and outside off, Santner swings hard but misses. The ball goes past the wide guideline but the umpire is calm. Touch and go. Bhuvi has done his job. 77 in the first 8 overs. 15 in the last 2. NZ 323/6 in 49 overs
21.20 IST: SIX! Goes all the way! A full toss on middle, Santner swings this over the bowler's head. Long on is a few yards inside the boundary and the ball just goes over him! Had he been at the ropes, it would have been a catch. 18 more needed from 10 balls now! NZ 320/6 in 48.2 overs
MITCHELL SANTNER walks in at number 8, replacing Latham.
21.18 IST: Tom Latham (65) Run-out! Is that the game for India? Massive moment. Full and outside off, de Grandhomme looks to flick but misses. He is not sure where the ball is but Latham is halfway down the track, looking for the bye. He has to turn back as de Grandhomme is searching for the ball. Dhoni calmly throws the ball to Bumrah who runs forward towards the stumps a bit and then throws the ball. Bull's eye! Latham furiously hits the ground with his bat. He is applauded from the dressing room. What a knock again. But this time his team might fall short. 26 needed from 13 balls now. NZ 312/6 in 47.5 overs, chasing 338
21.15 IST: NOT OUT! Pitched outside leg. It always looked so even to the naked eye but one gets the feeling that Kohli took it just to get some time in the game. Fuller in length, Latham looks to flick but misses and is hit on the pads. NZ 312/5 in 47.4 overs
21.13 IST: LBW shout! Turned down. The Indians are confident and wants this reviewed...
21.10 IST: Full on middle, clipped through mid-wicket for a well-run couple. Excellent over from Bhuvi - 5 runs with a wicket. NZ 308/5 in 47 overs
COLIN DE GRANDHOMME walks in at number 7, replacing Nicholls.
21.08 IST: OUT! Nicholls bowled around his legs! The hushed crowd finds its voice again! Who cares about the past when you are doing well in the present? Bhuvi might have gone for 77 in his previous 8 overs but right now, his focus is only to try and bowl as accurately as possible in these last few overs. He does not have too many runs to play with and has been excellent in this over with this lengths. This is pretty full, around the legs, Nicholls gets across to flick but misses the ball completely. The ball shatters the leg stump and the bails illuminate! End of a 59-run stand. Nicholls departs for a very useful 37 from 24 balls. The momentum swings towards India again. NEW ZEALAND NEED 32 FROM 19 BALLS. NZ 306/5 in 46.5 overs
BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR is back on now. Has gone for 77 in his 8 overs so far. Can he make amends by bowling well at the death?
21.03 IST: SIX! 300 up for New Zealand. Off the edge! After a terrific first 4 balls, the last 2 have spoilt the over. Not much a mistake by Bumrah, he spots Nicholls getting across his stumps for the paddle and bowls it in line of the sticks. Nicholls continues with his execution and is comprehensively beaten. But Lady Luck helps him by taking the ball off the top edge directly behind over the ropes. 15 from the over, 300 UP FOR NEW ZEALAND! 35 needed from 24 balls now. NZ 303/4 in 46 overs
Backward point is dropping back. Third man comes in. Latham plays that late cut pretty well, so the field has been adjusted accordingly.
21.02 IST: FOUR! 50 partnership between Latham and Nicholls. A short ball on middle, Nicholls pulls it behind square leg. Shikhar Dhawan gives it a good chase from fine leg to his right but cannot pull the ball back via his outstretched right hand. NZ 297/4 in 45.5 overs
JASPRIT BUMRAH is back on. Here is the game. His three overs are the key. If he does well, India should win. Else...
20.56 IST: On middle, pushed down to long on for one more. Terrific finish from Chahal, 5 runs from the over. He has figures of 10-0-47-2 for the night. NZ 288/4 in 45 overs
20.52 IST: FOUR! Terrific shot! For the third over in a row, the last ball has produced a boundary. Short and outside off, Nicholls rocks back and cuts it hard through point for a boundary! 11 from the over, 35 off the last 3! NZ 283/4 in 44 overs
20.51 IST: FOUR! Brilliant timing. On a length on middle, Latham just pushes this uppishly through mid-wicket. Finds the gap and bisects deep mid-wicket and long on! NZ 278/4 in 43.4 overs
20.47 IST: FOUR! Down the leg side, Nicholls gets down and sweeps it over short fine leg for a boundary! 12 from the over, 24 off the last 2! 66 needed from 42 balls now. NZ 272/4 in 43 overs
20.45 IST: FOUR! Fifty for Tom Latham! Full on middle, Latham gets down and sweeps this powerfully, perfectly bisecting deep square leg and deep mid-wicket! NZ 266/4 in 42.4 overs
YUZVENDRA CHAHAL is back on as well.
20.41 IST: FOUR! Great shot. Floated on middle, Nicholls comes down the track and lofts it straight back over the bowler for a boundary! 12 from the over! 78 needed from 48 balls now. NZ 260/4 in 42 overs
20.38 IST: FOUR! 250 up for Kiwis. Not a great start to the over. Short and outside off, Nicholls goes back and punches it through the covers. Finds the gap and the boundary. 86 more needed from 53 balls now. NZ 252/4 in 41.1 overs
Kohli calls Kedar Jadhav into the attack.
20.37 IST: Full on middle, pushed down to long on for a single. India will not mind that. They will want the new man on strike for as many balls as possible. A terrific over - possible game-changing one? Just a run and a wicket from it. Bumrah has figures of 7-0-20-2 so far. NZ 248/4 in 41 overs
HENRY NICHOLLS walks in at number 6, replacing Taylor.
20.34 IST: OUT! Bumrah gets rid of dangerous Ross Taylor! The bounce gets the better of the batsman. Bumrah bowls an off cutter, landing it on a length outside off. Taylor comes forward to defend but the ball bounces sharply and goes off the outside edge, looping straight to Kedar Jadhav at point. Nothing much he could have done there. End of a struggling knock but the crucial 79-run stand has been broken. NEW ZEALAND NEED 91 FROM 59 BALLS. NZ 247/4 in 40.1 overs
POWERPLAY 3 time! Five fielders allowed outside the circle. India scored 85/5 during their batting. New Zealand need 91 with 7 wickets in hand.
20.32 IST: Fuller in length, down the leg side again, flicked to fine leg for one more. 8 runs from Bhuvi's over. NZ 247/3 in 40 overs
20.29 IST: FOUR! Magnificent shot. The length is short but there is not that much width outside off. However, like a very nice guy who adjusts to whatever he gets, Latham gets on top of the bounce and just punches it through point. The result is a boundary. NZ 245/3 in 39.4 overs
20.26 IST: Another Brilliant over from Bumrah, he's giving nothing away at the moment. 2 runs from the over. NZ 239/3 in 39 overs
20.21 IST: FOUR! Crucial boundary! A length ball but on the pads, Latham just wrists it through mid-wicket. The fielder dives to his right but the ball goes through. 11 from the over! NZ 237/3 in 38 overs
20.17 IST: 5 runs from the over, a decent one from Bumrah. NZ 226/3 in 37 overs
Time for a short breather! 117 from 84 is the equation. The required run rate is slowly touching 9 an over. Normally you do tend to favour the chasing side with so many wickets in hand, but unless dew plays a big part, India have the edge here. The Kiwis will hope that this stand at least takes them to within 50 runs of victory. And here comes one of their biggest obstacles in doing that - JASPRIT BUMRAH.
20.08 IST: Full and down the leg side, Taylor flicks it through to mid-wicket for a run. 7 runs from the over. NZ 221/3 in 36 overs
BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR is back. Had gone for 51 in his first 5 overs.
20.03 IST: FOUR! There comes the much-needed boundary of the over! Full and in line of the stumps, Taylor gets down and sweeps it through fine leg. Yuzvendra Chahal dives to his right from short fine leg but the ball goes through! NZ 214/3 in 35 overs
Interesting. Very interesting. The on-air commentators were discussing about how far the Kiwi batsmen were backing up at the bowler's end. While they were talking, the image was being shown of Taylor backing up too far on the giant screen. Kohli spots that and has a word with the umpires who in turn, have a word with Taylor. The question to be asked here is - Should the umpires be telling the batsmen about this? Or should it just be left to the consequences which will result in Mankading?
20.00 IST: FOUR! Innovative! The boundaries are flowing now. Again, this is a good shot as opposed to bad bowling. The ball is on a length around off, but Taylor gets down and across and plays a sweep shot, yes, SWEEP SHOT past short fine leg for a boundary. You do not expect sweeps of a fast bowler or a medium pacer do you? Unless of course, the batsman is AB de Villiers. But this is modern day cricket. 11 from the over. NZ 205/3 in 34 overs
19.57 IST: FOUR! Fine shot. 200 COMES UP. A length ball outside off, cross-seamer, the little off cutter, Latham stands tall and punches it square of the wicket past a diving point fielder to the boundary! 138 more needed from 99 balls now. NZ 200/3 in 33.3 overs
19.56 IST: Latham punches off the back foot by the batsman. The batsmen have run through for a single, 9 runs from the over. NZ 194/3 in 33 overs
19.54 IST: FOUR! Landed outside off, Latham adjusts well and reverse sweeps it, just past Dhoni through the vacant slip cordon to the third man fence! 148 more needed from 105 balls now. NZ 190/3 in 32.3 overs
19.53 IST: Outside off, dabbed down to third man for a single. 8 runs from the over, New Zealand will take that. Hence, a boundary in the first half of an over is always beneficial if you are the batting side. Makes it easier to score the rest of the runs in the remaining balls of that over, if you have planned a target per over. NZ 185/3 in 32 overs
19.51 IST: FOUR! CARESSED! Nothing a bowler can do about this shot. The ball is full and straight and Latham sends it right back from where it came. Back past the bowler down the ground to his left. Excellent shot. 157 more needed from 113 balls now. NZ 181/3 in 31.1 overs
19.49 IST: Tidy over from Axar, 2 runs from it. NZ 177/3 in 31 overs
Axar Patel is back for another spell.
19.46 IST: Latham shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot. 6 runs from the over. NZ 175/3 in 30 overs
Hardik Pandya is introduced into the attack.
TOM LATHAM walks in at number 5, replacing his skipper. The Indians now have two new opposition batsmen in the middle.
19.38 IST: OUT! That is it for the New Zealand skipper! No century for him. New Zealand needed him to anchor the innings but he has departed just beyond the halfway mark. Full and outside off, Williamson looks to sweep but it turns out to be an ungainly one. He gets a top edge which goes straight up in the air. Dhoni calls for it and takes the catch calmly. The equation is now going out of hands for the Kiwis... 170 needed from 128 balls. NZ 168/3 in 28.4 overs
19.35 IST: Williamson punches this to a man at sweeper cover for a run. 3 runs from Axar Patel's over, another tight one from India. NZ 166/2 in 28 overs
19.31 IST: FOUR! Lucky boundary for Taylor! Chahal fires in a flatter wrong 'un around off, Ross doesn't pick it up. Goes back to cut it but is hurried into the shot. Gets a thickish outside edge past the lone slip fielder for a boundary. NZ 163/2 in 27 overs
19.28 IST: India are building up the pressure after Munro's wicket. Tidy over from Axar Patel, 2 runs from it. NZ 156/2 in 26 overs
19.25 IST: Brilliant over from Chahal comes to an end, 2 runs and a wicket from it. NZ 154/2 in 25 overs
ROSS TAYLOR is the next man in for New Zealand. He is the man in form for them. Although he missed out in the last game, he looked in sublime touch and today is the day to make amends and merry, he'd believe.
19.23 IST: OUT! Chahal removes Munro for 75. Knocked him over! Chahal erupts, Green Park erupts. He tosses this leg spinner around off, the ball spins in after pitching. Munro chose the unwise option of playing against the spin as he looked to drive it to the off side. Ends up missing the ball and losing his woodwork. This is excellent bowling from Yuzvendra as he was generous in his flight even when the batsmen looked to hit it big. A very good innings from Munro comes to an end now. India would sniff a chance now. NZ 153/2 in 24.2 overs
19.19 IST: SIX! 150 up for New Zealand. Munro goes big, connects it beautifully! Jadhav fires this around off, Colin gets down and extends his arms to hit it over mid-wicket for half a dozen. Clean strike. NZ 152/1 in 24 overs
19.18 IST: 100 partnership comes up between Munro and Williamson. NZ 144/1 in 23.2 overs
19.17 IST: Tidy over from Chahal, just 3 runs from it. NZ 143/1 in 23 overs
19.14 IST: FIFTY for WILLIAMSON! The Kiwi skipper brings up his 32nd fifty in ODIs in style. He looked a bit out of sorts in the previous games but today he's put his hands up when required. This was flatter outside off, Williamson punches it through covers for a boundary. NZ 140/1 in 22 overs
19.11 IST: FOUR! Williamson is growing in confidence the more time he spends at the crease. Chahal delivers it around off, Kane gets down and plays against the spin. Goes over wide mid-on and helps himself to a one bounce boundary. NZ 131/1 in 21 overs
19.08 IST: Fuller around off, driven towards covers, where Kohli misfields to concede a couple. Not a sight that you associate with the Indian skipper. 6 runs from the over. NZ 126/1 in 20 overs
19.04 IST: Not Out! Munro stays on! Chahal tosses this around leg, the ball spins in. Munro looks to play against the turn and misses the ball completely. It goes to Dhoni who whips off the bails quickly and asks the question. The umpire takes it upstairs. Replays confirm that Colin is safe indeed. Dhoni's body language is a sign of things and he wasn't really gung-ho about this one. NZ 120/1 in 19 overs
19.03 IST: Dhoni is at it again! Flips off the bails quickly and appeals for a stumping against Munro. The third umpire is referred to. His body language shows that the batsman might be safe.
19.01 IST: Williamson walks across his stumps, stays deep in the crease too in a punch to long-on for a single. 2 runs from the over. NZ 115/1 in 18 overs
18.56 IST: Time for Drinks! New Zealand will be happy with how their chase has panned out as yet. They are going over 6 an over and most of the credit needs to go to Munro. The southpaw has taken the run chase by the scruff of its neck and hasn't spared any bowler so far. India soon need to get him otherwise they would be left with watching the ball fly to all parts of the boundary.
18.55 IST: On a length on the stumps, Williamson goes back and punches it towards mid-wicket for a brace. Good running there, 3 runs from Chahal's over. NZ 113/1 in 17 overs
18.53 IST: The visitors are batting brilliantly here, another good over for them. 10 runs from it. NZ 110/1 in 16 overs
18.52 IST: FOUR! If my skipper can strike a boundary, even I can, says Munro. Jadhav serves it fuller outside off, Colin drives it powerfully through cover-point. The ball wastes no time in rushing away to the fence. NZ 109/1 in 15.3 overs
18.51 IST: FOUR! Interesting to see how much time Williamson gets even against a bowler who bowls with a flatter trajectory. Darted quicker around off, Kane moves back quickly and slaps it through covers for a boundary. NZ 104/1 in 15.1 overs
18.49 IST: Perfect leg spinner's delivery! Chahal tosses it up around leg, Williamson looks to block off the front foot. The ball spins past viciously and goes to Dhoni who loves to whip off the bails quickly. Brilliant first over from Chahal, just 2 runs from it. NZ 100/1 in 15 overs
A mini-conference between Kohli and Dhoni before deciding that YUZVENDRA CHAHAL will be introduced into the attack.
18.46 IST: Fifty for Colin Munro! That's the 4th ODI fifty for Colin Munro. He has really teed off from the word go today, something that his side would have wanted. The longer he stays, the better it is for his side and exactly the opposite for the hosts. This time he knocks it down to long on for a run to get to his milestone. NZ 98/1 in 14 overs
18.44 IST: FOUR! 50 partnership comes up between Munro and Williamson. This pair has really looked good since Guptill departed, often leaving the Indian bowlers clueless. Jadhav bowls it flat on the pads, Williamson gets down and sweeps it past short fine leg for a boundary. NZ 96/1 in 13.3 overs
18.42 IST: FOUR! Brilliantly played! Munro was struggling when he was stuck at the crease and hence decides to use his feet. Axar floats it around leg, Munro charges down and hits it past mid off for a boundary. Nobody stood a chance to cutting that off. NZ 92/1 in 13 overs
18.41 IST: FOUR! You are bowling too fast, shouts Dhoni from behind the sticks as soon as Axar bowled that. He darted it a tad short outside off, Williamson hangs back and cuts it past point for a boundary. NZ 87/1 in 12.4 overs
Kohli is back on the field now.
18.39 IST: Williamson looks to cut this but ends up chopping it towards the keeper. Good first over from Kedar, just 2 came off it. NZ 82/1 in 12 overs
Virat Kohli is off the field and so Rohit Sharma takes charge. KEDAR JADHAV will have a bowl now. How effective will he be today?
18.35 IST: FOUR! This is why Munro has an aura of being very dangerous with the bat. He stays low, changes his stance and plays the switch hit through backward point for a boundary. Shows that he is a murderous mood today. Spoils what could have been a good over. NZ 80/1 in 11 overs
Powerplay 2 has been signalled. Now a maximum of 4 fielders can be outside the circle till the 40th over. Also, AXAR PATEL is brought in to bowl. He had a good game in the previous one and that would make him feel confident.
18.32 IST: Length delivery angling into Williamson's pads, he was looking to flick and missed, gets struck high on the pads. 4 runs from the over. NZ 74/1 in 10 overs
Just an over for Pandya. JASPRIT BUMRAH is back on. This is more because the former went for runs.
18.27 IST: Williamson plays it towards mid-wicket for nothing. 8 runs from Bhuvneshwar's over, another good one for the Kiwis. NZ 70/1 in 9 overs
18.24 IST: SIX! Munro bashes it high and over mid-wicket for a maximum. Kumar bowls a slower knuckleball on a length around leg, Colin makes room and plays a cross-batted hit for half a dozen. He's picking the change of pace alright today. NZ 69/1 in 8.2 overs
18.23 IST: FOUR! Another one! Pandya repeats the mistake that he did earlier and gets punished again. He lands it on the pads, Williamson clips it through mid-wicket for a boundary. That's not ideal for Kohli who has changed the bowling when he had just got a wicket. NZ 62/1 in 8 overs
18.19 IST: FOUR! Timing is all that has taken this delivery into the boundary fence. Pandya begins with a back of a length delivery around middle and leg, Williamson gets on his toes and flicks it in front of square on the leg side. The ball wasn't far from the Rohit Sharma the fielder there and races away to the fence. NZ 55/1 in 7.1 overs
HARDIK PANDYA is brought into the attack. That's a tad surprising as Bumrah was going well and had just picked up a wicket.
18.18 IST: Kumar continues over the wicket to Munro this time, Munro defends it back towards the bowler. 5 runs from the over. NZ 51/1 in 7 overs
18.15 IST: FOUR! 50 comes up for New Zealand. Wow, what a shot! Shows that this track is full of runs here. Kumar bowls it on a back of a length outside off, Williamson goes back and punches it through point for a boundary. Brings up the 50 for New Zealand. NZ 50/1 in 6.1 overs
18.14 IST: Bumrah spears in a yorker in the line of the stumps, Kane digs it out towards mid-wicket and hares to the other end for a run. 2 runs and a wicket from the over. NZ 46/1 in 6 overs
KANE WILLIAMSON is the next man in. He's not having a great run in ODIs in India and the time is ripe for him to change that fact. Will the Kiwi skipper step up today?
18.10 IST: OUT! 50 ODI wickets for Jasprit Bumrah, the second fastest Indian to get there after Ajit Agarkar! And what a time to strike. The openers were going great guns when he has struck. He bowls it on a length around off, Guptill makes room and looks to go over mid off. Ends up getting it high on the bat and hence the ball has height and not the distance. Karthik backtracks, keeps his eyes on the ball and pouches it safely. Another failure for Martin, New Zealand rocked early. NZ 44/1 in 5.1 overs, chasing 338
18.08 IST: FOUR! A disappointing end of a very long over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Munro finally gets it right! Kumar bowls a shorter length ball around off, Munro sways back and ramps it over short third man for a boundary. NZ 44/0 in 5 overs
18.01 IST: Hurled around off, Martin Guptill stays in the crease and defends. Good over from Bumrah, just a single from it. NZ 33/0 in 4 overs
17.56 IST: Bhuvi bowls a good length and just outside off, Guptill gets a good stride forward, drives it on the up and finds cover-point. NZ 32/0 in 3 overs
17.55 IST: FOUR! Wonderfully played by Guptill. Kumar hurls it on a length outside off, Martin hangs back and punches through cover-point. Rohit runs to his right and dives but is unable to prevent the boundary. NZ 31/0 in 2.4 overs
17.51 IST: FOUR! Now it's time for Bumrah to bear the brunt of Munro's power-shots. Charges down a couple of steps and hits it straight over the bowler's end for a boundary. NZ 24/0 in 2 overs
17.49 IST: FOUR! What a start for Munro and New Zealand. This time there was an overthrow for Kohli. Unnecessary through from Kohli there. Munro finds him at covers with the drive but Virat has a shy at the bowler's end. There's no one backing up and the ball goes away to the boundary. Sheepish smile from the skipper but the Kiwis are off to a flying start here. NZ 19/0 in 1 over
17.48 IST: FOUR! What a shot! Munro now strikes the ball to long off for a boundary! This is even better. Fuller around off, Munro times it brilliantly through mid off. The ball beats the fielder there and races away to the fence. Back to back boundaries for Munro here.
17.47 IST: FOUR! This time Munro hits Bhuvneshwar for a boundary to backward point. Timing and placement to perfection. Kumar over corrects and gives him width. Munro stays in the crease and cuts it fiercely past backward point for a boundary. The third man fielder didn't have a chance to cut that off.
17.46 IST: SIX! Munro hits Bhuvneshwar for a maximum over deep mid-wicket. Woahh! Intentions clear straightaway! Kumar hurls it on a length around middle, Munro shimmies a tad and bashes it over mid-wicket for a maximum. What a way to get going.
17.43 IST: We are back for the New Zealand chase. The visitors have never won a one-day series in India and they will have to bat really well to create history here.
17.08 IST:
17.04 IST: OUT India finish on 337/6! An outstanding final over from Milne - not a single boundary and going for only 6 and picking up 2 wickets. A short ball outside off, needless to mention - a SLOWWWWWWWWER BALL - at 112 kph, Jadhav connects it well actually but such has been the day for him - when he has miscued, the ball has landed safely and now when he has timed one well, it has flown straight to Martin Guptill at long on. ! IND 337/6 in 50 overs
DINESH KARTHIK finally comes out at number 7, replacing Dhoni.
16.59 IST: OUT! Adam Milne removes MS Dhoni for 25. Not a bad start to the over for Milne! Dhoni is gone. A slower ball outside off, 110 kph, on a length, Dhoni gives this his all, aiming to swing hard but only gets it off the outside edge to short third man. Colin Munro at that position takes it with ease and Dhoni has to go. 5 balls left now... IND 331/5 in 49.1 overs
ADAM MILNE to bowl the final over. Can he keep India under 350?
16.57 IST: SIX! How has he hit that? A short ball, in line of the stumps, cramping Jadhav for room as he goes for the pull but he goes through with it and guess what - he clears square leg with ease! 12 from the over and Southee finishes with 2/66 in his 10 overs. 36 runs have come off the last 3 overs. IND 331/4 in 49 overs
16.52 IST: FOUR! BRILLIANT from Dhoni! Why aim for slogs when you can time the ball so beautifully? IND 319/4 in 48 overs
16.51 IST: FOUR! Nice placement! Another full toss outside off, Jadhav reaches out and spoons this over point for a boundary! IND 314/4 in 47.4 overs
16.48 IST: FOUR! WHAM! Short ball, outside off, teasing Dhoni whether he can hit it and the answer is a violent pull wide of the running long on to his right. IND 307/4 in 47 overs
KEDAR JADHAV walks in at number 6, replacing Kohli.
16.46 IST: OUT! Caught! The skipper departs after a wonderful knock. Full and outside off, the leg cutter, bowled at 103 kph. Kohli looks to go big but the lack of pace does him in. He miscues it to long off where his counterpart Williamson takes it reverse-cup style. Perhaps not a bad wicket to lose for India. The boundaries were drying up and Kohli was tiring. Fresh legs and new batsmen might be the order of the moment. Southee removes Virat Kohli for 113. IND 302/4 in 46.4 overs
16.45 IST: FOUR! 300 comes up for India with a brilliant shot from Kohli. A short ball outside off, Kohli heaves it over mid-wicket for a boundary. Just the third since the 40th over.Can they get another 50 in the time remaining? IND 302/3 in 46.3 overs
16.42 IST: Another 10 run over for India without taking any undue risks. IND 295/3 in 46 overs
TRENT BOULT is back on.
16.37 IST: 10 runs from Milne's over, another good one for the hosts. IND 285/3 in 45 overs
16.35 IST: FOUR! WHACK! A short ball outside off, Dhoni just pulls it behind square leg and gets a boundary! IND 283/3 in 44.4 overs
16.32 IST:
One roar is replaced by another. The darling of the masses, MS DHONI, comes in at number 5, replacing Pandya. Interestingly, no helmet.
16.28 IST: OUT! Pandya falls cheaply! Big wicket for the Kiwis. Santner has removed two big hitters in 2 overs. First Rohit with a low full toss. Now Pandya with a slight pace variation. He bowls this at 98 kph, reasonably quick for a spinner and gets it to spin away from the batsman. Pandya is early into the hoick and miscues it high in the air and the catch is taken by Southee again at long off. IND 273/3 in 43.2 overs
16.27 IST: HUNDRED for Virat Kohli! Century number 32 for the Indian captain! The run machine is back. Not that he was gone for long, but this kind of batting was being missed. The score is just a number. Still, his 6th ton in ODIs this year, 10th as a captain alone and 5th against the Kiwis. Gets to the landmark as easily as an office-goer leaves for home after completing the day's shift. Full and outside off, eased through the covers for a single. IND 273/2 in 43.1 overs
16.25 IST: FOUR! A length ball outside off, Pandya backs away, then swings hard. The ball flies off the edge over point and scurries to the fence behind. IND 270/2 in 42.4 overs
16.22 IST: A successful over from Santner comes to an end, 7 runs a wicket from it. IND 264/2 in 42 overs
Not a surprise. HARDIK PANDYA comes in at number 4.
16.19 IST: OUT! Santner removes Rohit Sharma for 147. No double hundred for Rohit! At least by his standards, he will think he could have got another one. A low full toss outside off, Rohit looks to go over the top again but the tiredness is evident in this one. The ball goes straight to long off where Southee cups it with ease. The Kiwi players, always sporting, rush to Rohit first to congratulate him, then celebrate. If you can call that a celebration. Magnificent innings. Breathtaking. Only he will hope that what happened the last time he made a big score at this venue will not be repeated. Rohit had made 150 in 2015 against South Africa here. Still India lost. IND 259/2 in 41.2 overs
16.16 IST: RUN OUT CHANCE! Yes, yes, no, no! Save yourself, mate! Kohli nearly sells his partner a dummy down the river. A low full toss outside off, Kohli eases it through the covers. Mitchell Santner gets across to his left and makes a good stop. There should have been a run and Kohli calls for one but then sends Rohit back from a point of no return. Rohit gives up and luckily for him, the throw misses the stumps at the bowler's end. IND 257/1 in 41 overs
POWERPLAY 3. Will this bring some respite to the fielding side? 5 allowed outside the ring. They are up against two batsmen who don't care where the fielders are - one threads gaps with ease while the other goes over gaps and clears the boundaries. No ground is large enough for these two. Here is another bowling change - ADAM MILNE is back on.
16.11 IST: FOUR! Another one over the infield. A length ball outside off, Rohit just lofts it over cover for a boundary. Brings up INDIA'S 250. 60 balls left. 100 more a minimum? IND 252/1 in 40 overs
Stats:
Most 200+stands in ODIs:
4 Rohit - Kohli
3 Ganguly - Tendulkar
3 Gambhir - Kohli
3 Tharanga - Mahela
16.08 IST: 7 runs from Boult's over, a good on in the context of the game. IND 243/1 in 39 overs
16.06 IST: FOUR! BEAUTY! Now, this is 50 percent classic batting, 25 percent excellent timing and 25 percent brilliant outfield. A half volley, yes. Driven yes. Fielder to field? Yes. And who is it? The bird or plane called Williamson. Rohit times his off drive nicely but once the ball makes contact with the turf, it suddenly accelerates into fifth gear and poor Williamson can do nothing much with his dive to the left. IND 242.1 in 38.3 overs
16.04 IST: SIX! Ho ho ho! Don't remember Kohli playing so many aerial shots in an innings. This is a statement. Jumps down the track, as if to say, don't bring a spinner in my presence, gets to the pitch of the ball and lofts it with finesse over long off! IND 236/1 in 38 overs
16.03 IST: 200 up between the duo! Short of a good length from Santner, Kohli cuts to sweeper cover. IND 229/1 in 37.2 overs
MITCHELL SANTNER is back on. Williamson needs to wrest some control if wickets are not coming by.
16.01 IST: FOUR! 1K, 2K, 3K, here comes 9K FOR VK! What a shot to bring up the milestone as well. Landed outside off, Kohli waits and waits and at the last moment, dabs it past the keeper to the third man fence! Another great over - 14 from it, 31 off the last 2! IND 227/1 in 37 overs
16.00 IST: FOUR! India on a rampage here! Reminds me of the era when the Batting Powerplay used to be in existence when fielders used to be kept inside the 30-yard ring. Full and outside off, Rohit lofts it over mid-off for a boundary! IND 222/1 in 36.4 overs
15.59 IST: FOUR! Goes past Punter! Virat Kohli now has the most runs as a skipper in a calendar year in ODIs. Ponting managed 1424 in 2007. Full and outside off, Kohli just lofts it with ease over mid off for a boundary! IND 217/1 in 36.2 overs
15.58 IST: FOUR! Another short ball, another boundary. Pulled wide of short fine leg, Fourth boundary of the over. Well, this is going pear-shaped for the Kiwis. The best over of the innings for the Indians - 17 from it! IND 212/1 in 36 overs
15.56 IST: FOUR! Up and over! Full and outside off, Rohit just lofts it nonchalantly over mid off for a boundary! IND 205/1 in 35.3 overs
15.55 IST: FOUR! 200 comes up for India. EDGED, DROPPED, FOUR! Very, very harsh to say that but technically it was a chance. A length ball wide outside off, Kohli slashes hard but gets a thick outside edge. Latham flies to his right, gets a glove to it but cannot take the chance. Off runs the ball to the third man fence. IND 200/1 in 35.1 overs
DRINKS BREAK. This is official. A great platform for India. 15 overs left. India will aim for at least 330 from here. With wickets in hand, 350 could be a possibility as well... Here comes TRENT BOULT. This could be a decisive spell. If he breaks this stand, India might struggle to cross 300. On the flip side, if he goes for runs, it might be a free flow from both ends.
15.52 IST: IND 196/1 in 35 overs
15.48 IST: SAFE! Excellent ball, excellent keeping and excellent footwork as well. A slower ball outside off, Kohli looks to go big but misses. His back foot comes out of the crease and Latham whips off the bails but Kohli gets his foot back in. IND 193/1 in 34.1 overs
COLIN DE GRANDHOMME is back on. And does he strike on the very first ball? STUMPING APPEAL referred upstairs...
15.47 IST: A single to end the over from Kohli, 8 runs from the over. IND 193/1 in 34 overs
15.45 IST:
15.44 IST: FOUR! More height than distance but that will do. 'I will not learn' being flashed over and over again going by the bowling by the Kiwi bowlers. Rohit Sharma made his presence felt in the international arena during the 2007 WT20 and even then, he showed how much he loves the short ball. He has been telegraphing that in every game but clearly the Kiwis are not paying any heed. Another short ball, pulled over mid-wicket. A bit high of the bat but safe in the end. IND 189/1 in 33.2 overs
15.42 IST: HUNDRED! Century number 15 in ODIs for Rohit Sharma! He has made up for his failures in the first two games. This is his 18th match against New Zealand and his first against them. Coming to the ball, it is on middle and leg and Rohit calmly works it through mid-wicket to get to the landmark. Now then. New Zealand beware. Whenever he crosses the 100-mark, he just explodes. IND 182/1 in 32.2 overs
Rohit is on 99... The crowd seems restless. He looks composed though.
15.39 IST: 9 runs from Milne's over, Rohit stays on 99. IND 181/1 in 32 overs
15.38 IST: 150 partnership comes up between the duo. IND 179/1 in 31.4 overs
15.36 IST: FOUR! Supreme insult to a fast bowler' says Sunil Gavaskar on air. A half volley in line of the stumps, Kohli comes forward and drives it straight back past the bowler, down to long on and beats mid on! IND 176/1 in 31.1 overs
Unofficial Drinks Break. The batsmen are getting a couple of water bottles being emptied onto the heads of the batsmen. The heat is getting onto them and both have played reasonably long innings.
15.34 IST: FOUR! Misfield. Guess it was Ross Taylor there. Full and outside off, Kohli leans and drives it through the covers where the fielder gets down but lets it through. Mid off runs after it but in vain. IND 172/1 in 31 overs
TIM SOUTHEE is back on. Williamson does not need one wicket. He needs many more. But from where can he get a breakthrough?
15.29 IST: FOUR! WALLOP! Slightly shortish in length, good enough for Rohit as he comes down the track and lofts it just wide of long on for a boundary! The ball lands just inside the ropes. IND 165/1 in 30 overs
15.28 IST: FIFTY for Kohli! Another drive, this time to long off for a run. That is HALF CENTURY NUMBER 46 for Kohli in ODIs. He too will be aiming to get a triple figure today. IND 161/1 in 29.2 overs
15.27 IST: Another good over for the Indians, 6 runs from it. IND 159/1 in 29 overs
15.23 IST: SIX! VIOLENCE! Number 150 in ODIs for Rohit! A short ball outside off, New Zealand not learning at all, Rohit takes advantage of that and pulls it over widish long on for a maximum. It also brings up 150 for India. IND 153/1 in 28 overs
Mitchell Santner is back into the attack.
15.21 IST: Decent start from Munro, just 4 came off his first over. Cricket Live Score - IND 144/1 in 27 overs
15.20 IST: The two batsmen will be having a chat about what is a good score on this pitch. 330? 350? If dew does set in, 330 is a minimum.
Colin Munro in the attack for the first time in the day. De Grandhomme has not been that effective, going for 40 in his 6 overs thus far.
15.17 IST: Good comeback from Milne after conceding boundary on the first ball, 6 runs from the over. No run there. Rohit punches this through the covers and sets off for a single but Kohli spots that the fielder is Mitchell Santner who is a left-hander and the ball is going to his left. Sends Rohit back which turns out to be a good call as Santner returns a good throw to the keeper. IND 140/1 in 26 overs
15.15 IST:
15.14 IST: FOUR! That is a fine shot. All about timing. Fractionally short of a fuller length outside off, Rohit just stands tall and punches it through point. Martin Guptill dives to his left but has no chance. Nothing awfully wrong with that delivery but such has been Rohit Sharma's class that he is converting good balls into run-scoring ones. IND 138/1 in 25.1 overs
15.13 IST: India are cruising at the moment, 5 runs from Boult's over. IND 134/1 in 25 overs
15.08 IST: 100 partnership comes up between Rohit and Kohli off 106 balls. How fluent these two are looking at the moment, making batting look so very easy. They are getting the runs without taking great risks which is a big plus. Coming to this ball, it was short, Kohli pulled it fine down the leg side for a run. He wanted a second initially but settled against that. What's more, the throw hit the stumps at the striker's end directly! IND 129/1 in 24 overs
Change from both the ends. Seeing the comfort with which both the batsmen are handling spin, Williamson brings ADAM MILNE back to bowl.
15.04 IST: Short ball around off, Rohit pulls in front of square on the leg side for one run. 8 runs from the over. IND 127/1 in 23 overs
15.02 IST: FOUR! Kohli welcomes Boult with a boundary. Bowled from round the wicket, he hurls it fuller around off. Kohli moves a bit to his off and flicks it away through mid-wicket for a boundary. The fielder stationed there did put in a dive but failed to do anything there. IND 123/1 in 22.1 overs
TRENT BOULT is brought back for another spell. Shows how desperate the Kiwis are for a breakthrough at this point.
15.01 IST: Good over from Santner, 3 runs from it. Live Score - IND 119/1 in 22 overs
14.58 IST: FOUR! Till this point, it was a fairly good over but the boundary has just spoiled that. Fuller around off, Rohit extends his arms wonderfully as he hits it over mid off. The ball races away to the fence. IND 116/1 in 21 overs
14.54 IST: Five runs off Santner's over. IND 109/1 in 20 overs
14.51 IST: FOUR! A boundary towards backward square leg to end Grandhomme's over. How well is Rohit watching the ball now! Another shorter delivery around middle, Sharma pulls it aerially over square leg for a boundary. There was a man in the deep in front of square, but the batter delayed his shot just that little bit to beat him easily. IND 104/1 in 19 overs
14.49 IST: FOUR! Great shot from Rohit off Grandhomme! Timing is the key here. De Grandhomme bowls it short outside off, Rohit stands tall and punches it through cover-point for a boundary. At his pace, Colin cannot afford to be short and wide.
14.48 IST: This has been a good hour of play here although the hosts have the edge at the moment. The visitors succeeded in picking up an early wicket but since then it has all been the Rohit-Kohli show. The Kiwis will know how important it is to break this stand as quickly as they can. IND 94/1 in 18 overs
14.41 IST: Fifty for Rohit off 52 balls. This is Rohit's 35th ODI fifty. He's back among runs in style here at Green Park. He has played well so far and would look to continue to rake up a big score as is his habit generally. He cuts it towards backward point where Guptill dives to his left to make a half-stop. Rohit hares to the other end beating the throw from the fielder. IND 89/1 in 16.4 overs
14.38 IST: An appeal from the Kiwis there. Lovely delivery by Santner that. He tosses it up around leg, the ball straightens big time after pitching. Sharma lunges forward to play for the initial angle but misses and gets hit high on the back thigh. The Kiwis appeal but the umpire turns it down. Height was the factor as confirmed by the replays. IND 85/1 in 16 overs
14.35 IST: Four runs off Grandhomme's over. IND 81/1 in 15 overs
14.32 IST: FOUR! Rohit is looking at great touch. A boundary to end the over of Santner. This time to the off side. Santner darts this a tad short outside off, Sharma hangs back and guides it past backward point for a boundary. Lovely timing on that occasion. IND 77/1 in 14 overs
14.31 IST: FOUR! Rohit sweeps Santner for a boundary. Lovely placement there. Santner bowls this flatter on the pads, Rohit gets down and sweeps it firmly through the left of short fine leg. De Grandhomme dives to his left but is nowhere near the ball that races away to the fence.
14.29 IST: Spin time! Mitchell Santner to roll his arm now. Would be interesting to see how he bowls to these two set batters who are good against spin.
14.27 IST: FOUR! Nice shot from Rohit off Grandhomme! How well has Rohit timed this pull shot! De Grandhomme bowls it on a back of a length around off and middle. Sharma hits it towards fine leg. The ball beats the dive of Bruce, the sub fielder who ran to his right, and races away to the fence.
14.24 IST: Great over from Milne! Just two runs off it. IND 59/1 in 12 overs
14.16 IST: SIX! What a shot from Rohit Sharma off Milne! He dispatches it over mid wicket. What a shot to bring up 50 for India. The six-hitting machine of 2017 is at it again. Milne bowls it on a shorter length around off, Sharma hangs back and hits it over mid-wicket for a maximum. Always danger signs for the opposition when he is in full flow. IND 53/1 in 10 overs
14.13 IST: Adam Milne comes into the attack!
14.09 IST: FOUR! Classy shot from Kohli, just sheer timing. Back-to-back boundaries for India, off Kohli's blade this time. Fuller length outside off, Virat leans into that and drives it beautifully through covers for a boundary. IND 45/1 in 9 overs
14.08 IST: FOUR! Rohit hits Boult for a boundary to end the over. Excellent shot! Timed nicely. Very full delivery around middle and leg, Sharma drives it back down. Boult gets down to his right but is unable to get hand to that. The ball races away to the long on fence. IND 39/1 in 8 overs
14.03 IST: FOUR! Wonder shot from Kohli to get off the mark! Wrists of Kohli gets him a boundary. Southee bowls it around off, Virat moves across a tad and clips it through mid-wicket. The ball speeds away to the fence. IND 33/1 in 7 overs
14.00 IST: OUT! Southee removes Dhawan for 14. The clever field change from Williamson brings about Dhawan's downfall. Southee lands it on a length around middle and off, looks to hit it over mid off but ends up chipping it straight to Williamson there. He moves in front a tad late and takes it safely. Dhawan got out in a similar fashion in the previous game and didn't seem to have learnt from that. On any other day, he would have been happy to flick it away but the close-in fielder made him go for the rash shot. Good start for the Kiwis, just what they would have wanted. IND 29/1 in 6.1 overs. Huge cheers on the ground as Virat Kohli walks out to the centre. He's going through a good phase with the bat and would look to give his side a steady start.
13.56 IST: FOUR! That's a beauty from Dhawan... wonderful use of the feet and thumps it through the covers. Boult serves it on a length around off, Shikhar uses his feet to shimmy down and converts it into a half volley. Smashes it through covers and the ball races away to the fence. IND 29/0 in 6 overs
13.52 IST: FOUR! Shows how keenly and closely Rohit is watching the ball. Southee bowls it short outside off, Sharma stands tall and ramps it over slips. The ball goes towards the third man fence for a one bounce boundary. IND 22/0 in 5 overs
13.49 IST: FOUR! That's a perfect Dhawan stroke! That's the shot that Dhawan was looking for sometime now. Boult provides the batter with width that he wants, Shikhar frees his arms and just thumps it with authority through covers for a boundary. IND 17/0 in 4 overs
13.45 IST: Good over from Southee, just a single off it. IND 12/0 in 3 overs
13.40 IST: FOUR! Fine shot from Dhawan off Boult! The Dhawan-special cut shot! Beautifully played. On a length just outside off, the southpaw watches the ball closely till the end and hits it past backward point. The outfield is quick enough to take the ball to the fence. IND 11/0 in 2 overs
13.35 IST: FOUR! Southee gives some room to Rohit and the right-hander hits it for a boundary to backward point. Short, wide and punished! Southee hurls it on a length outside off, giving enough room for Sharma to free his arms. He does so and hits it over backward point for a boundary, the first of the game. IND 7/0 in 1 over
13.30 IST: We are all set to get underway. The Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan stride out to the centre. Remember, the former has had a quiet series so far. Will that change today? As usual, Kane Williamson trusts Tim Southee with the first new ball. He would look to extract as much as he can from the track, that could provide some assistance to the bowlers at the start.
13.25 IST: The players are out in the middle for the National Anthems.
13.20 IST: Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (C), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni (WK), Kedar Jadhav, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (C), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (WK), Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
13.10 IST: Captain's Corner
Virat Kohli: It looks a good wicket. We would have been okay with batting or bowling first but keeping the dew in mind, maybe batting second was better. Irrespective of what we do first, we need to do it well. A few guys wanted to have some rest while some wanted to iron it out in the nets. It's been a hectic season so far but there is nothing more motivating than playing in a decider. New Zealand have always been competitive with us, they aren't loud and don't do annoying things but the intensity never dips on the field. Many teams can learn from them. (On the XI) We are playing the same team.
Kane Williamson: We are going to have a bowl. Certainly more grass than we saw earlier. Don't think it will seam as much but still there should be some help and then dew later on in the game. Whatever we do here, the wickets tend to be generally good surfaces and the team that plays the better cricket wins. It is a great opportunity for us and we want to enjoy it out there. (On any changes) Same team.
13.00 IST: TOSS! New Zealand win toss, opt to bowl vs India in Kanpur. The 3-match series is levelled at 1-1
Brief Preview:
Captain Virat Kohli and his team thrive on challenges and they will back themselves to win their seventh ODI series in a row, when they take the field at the Green Park Stadium, which will be hosting its first ever 50-over game under lights.
"We look forward to challenges. We spoke about bouncing back, and we have bounced back here (in Pune). We would look to play a similar sort of game in Kanpur as well," said Kohli after the six-wicket win over the Kiwis in the second ODI.
Both teams arrived in Kanpur on Thursday, giving themselves enough time to get used to the cooler conditions in the northern part of India.
The Indian team executed its plans perfectly in Pune, especially on the bowling front with in-form pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah doing the job early on as well as in the death overs.
The spinners bounced back well after an off-day in Mumbai. Yuzvendra Chahal, who failed to pick up a wicket in the first game, struck twice while Axar Patel, replacing chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, found the stumps of the in-form Tom Latham. Part-timer Kedar Jadhav bowled eight overs, conceding just 31 runs.
Kohli may not want to tinker with a winning combination, therefore, it remains to be seen whether Yadav gets a chance to play in front of his home crowd on Sunday.
On the batting front, a big positive for India in Pune was Dinesh Karthik delivering at No.4 with an unbeaten 64. The team management has tried as many as 11 players at the number four spot since the 2015 World Cup and Karthik certainly did enough to stake his claim in that position going forward. (Read Full Preview Here)
