Team India clinched their third ODI series in the last few months when they thrashed New Zealand by 7 wickets in the third ODI of the 5-match series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The win gave the Men in Blue an unassailable 3-0 lead and it came after the 3-1 and 2-1 margin victories over the Windies and Australia, respectively. It was also the second time that India defeated the Kiwis in an away ODI series and it came after a decade, after the 3-1 victory in 2008-09 under the leadership of MS Dhoni.
The Indian team had little problem in humbling the Kiwis, who annihilated Sri Lanka 3-0 at home recently, in all the three games they have played in the series so far. India won the first match in Napier by 8 wickets and the second game at the Bay Oval by 90 runs. And this straight series victory came against a team which is ranked higher than Australia and the Windies in ICC’s ODI rankings and just a place behind second-ranked India.
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Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was elated by India’s strong show against New Zealand, who are considered quite a force at home. As per the quotes in India Today, Harbhajan said, “This current New Zealand is definitely a better team than Australia but doesn’t forget how well India played. Sometimes, we look to the other teams play well and we forget how good our own team is and that no team can stand in front of our team. It is great to see the way our team is playing. Everyone is in form.”
The Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been in particularly good form and it did not escape the Turbanator’s notice. He has been opening the bowling for India in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah who has been rested for the NZ tour and picked up seven wickets in three matches so far, bagging the Player of the Match awards twice – in the first and third matches.
Bhajji said, “I would like to talk about Mohammed Shami. He has been phenomenal, he is someone who India will need at the World Cup and it is so good to see him picking up those wickets and winning the man-of-the-match.”
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Harbhajan also expressed that India has now found the core team in the run-up to the World Cup, adding that skipper Virat Kohli will be happy with the way the team has shaped up.
