2nd ODI: India thrash New Zealand by 8 wickets to seal the series | Cricket News

RAIPUR: Skipper Rohit Sharma’s pause at the toss seems to have been the only time India slowed down in this game!
Inspired by their old warhorses Mohammed Shami (3-18 in 6 overs) and Rohit himself (51; 50b, 7×4, 2×6), India crushed a disappointing New Zealand by eight wickets in the second ODI at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, which was staging its maiden international game.
India thus wrapped up the ODI series 2-0 in convincing fashion, with the final game on Tuesday in Indore now just a formality. This is India’s seventh ODI series win at home in a row overall, and their seventh straight ODI series win against New Zealand on home soil. It was the sort of sizzling performance which augurs well for Rohit and Co. in an ODI World Cup year.

India completely outplayed New Zealand on a pacer-friendly pitch. After India elected to bowl first on a surface which was aiding generous lateral movement, their pacers, led by Shami, fired on all cylinders to shoot out a listless New Zealand, who recorded their third-lowest ODI score against India.

The whole Kiwi innings was over by 4:07 pm, and the match was done and dusted by 6:25 pm, advancing the timing of a post-match laser show! Chasing 109, Rohit and Shubman Gill (40*, 53b; 6×4), fresh off his double hundred in the first ODI, rubbed salt into the Kiwi wounds, adding 72 in 84 balls for the first wicket.

When Gill danced down the track to loft Mitchell Santner over mid-on, India sealed the game with as many as 179 balls to spare. It was their third biggest win in ODIs in terms of balls to spare.
While Virat Kohli (11) was scalped by Santner again, Rohit’s terrific half-century, his 48th in ODIs, will give India plenty to cheer about. Apart from a few delightful drives, the two sixes that he hit, a ferocious, trademark pull off Lockie Ferguson and then a superb shot over extra cover off Blair Tickner, delighted the 60,000-strong crowd. It was amusing to watch the Kiwi batters, who were way too tentative.

The game seemed to be done and dusted when India’s four-pronged pace attack of Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya destroyed the Kiwi top order.
New Zealand had collapsed to 15/5 by the 11th over and were, at one point, in danger of being skittled out for their lowest ODI score of 64. Somehow, the efforts of Glenn Philips (36; 52b, 5×4), Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell averted that embarrassment for the Kiwis, taking them past 100, but then they lost their last four wickets for five runs in 26 balls.
It was Shami who began India’s relentless assault with the ball. Following up four consecutive outswingers with a ball that swung in beautifully, he castled Kiwi opener Finn Allen. Next to go was Henry Nicholls, who edged an away-going delivery by Siraj to Gill at slip. Things became worse for the Kiwis when Daryll Mitchell spooned a catch back to Shami.