After facing a demoralizing loss in the Hamilton ODI by 8 wickets, Team India was raring to make a comeback in the final ODI against New Zealand. However, the similar situation occurred in Wellington as well, as the Indian team was reduced to 18/4 after the stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma decided to bat first. However, Team India finished the innings with the score of 252 and a lot of credit for the same goes to the ferocious batting display of Hardik Pandya and a strong partnership between Ambati Rayudu and Vijay Shankar.
India made three changes in the squad as Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav, and Khaleel Ahmed made way for MS Dhoni, Vijay Shankar, and Mohammed Shami. Rayudu (90) and Shankar (45) amassed 98 runs for the 5th wicket and it gave sufficient room for a comeback to the Indian team. However, Pandya added the finishing touch by smashing 45 runs in just 22 balls with the help of 5 sixes and 2 fours.
Rayudu received the man-of-the-match award for his performance. While Shami was adjudged as man-of-the-series for taking 9 wickets as India won the game by 35 runs and sealed the series 4-1. Indi’s score was defended by some quality bowling effort from legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal (three for 41) and Shami (two for 35) as the hosts were skittled for 217 in 44.1 overs.
WATCH – Ambati Rayudu Smacks Humongous Sixes To Colin Munro
Talking about the win during the post-match presentation, Rayudu said, “It was very tough against a quality bowling attack. I was thinking we should take the game to the 30th over without losing another wicket. Our only plan was to play the full fifty overs. Especially for people batting at four, five and six, you get opportunities only when the situation is tough,” he said while shedding light on the team’s plan.”
India had a terrible outing in the previous match at Seddon Park in Hamilton when Trent Boult’s fiery spell shot down the tourists for 92.
Rayudu elaborated, “Don’t think setting totals has ever been an issue. That was a one-off game in Hamilton. We might face similar challenges in future, but it has been a great effort by our bowlers.”
