Hardik Pandya’s cameo goes in vain as India lose second ODI by six runs

Excellent field work and a timely century by captain Kane Williamson stood New Zealand in good stead. With this win, New Zealand came back into the series which is tied at 1-1. 

Chasing New Zealand’s score of 242 for 9, Indian top order failed before Kedar Jadhav and captain MS Dhoni added 66 runs for the fifth wicket off 71 balls to keep the hosts in the race.

Jadhav hit two sixes and two fours in his 41 which came off 37 balls.

Dhoni and Axar Patel added 33 before the captain departed after making 39 off 65 balls to give the advantage to the Kiwis. And the final nail was driven, when India gifted two wickets in a Martin Guptill over. 

Axar was out to a brilliant catch in the deep by Santner and then Mishra tried an atrocious shot playing across. That was virtually the end. But Pandya delayed the end with a cameo innings of 36 off 32 balls. 

Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson made 118 off 129 balls to help his team put up a fighting score. In fact, put into bat, New Zealand were off to a good start reaching 120 for two in the 21st over and then Jasprit Bumrah (3-35) and leg-spinner Amit Mishra (3-60) started taking wickets at regular intervals. 

Williamson, who has had an indifferent tour so far, struck a fluent 118 off 128 balls with 14 boundaries and a six. However, save opener Tom Latham (46), none of the other batsmen could provide considerable support. The last 15 overs of the innings yielded only 66 runs for the Black Caps.

While Amit Mishra (3/60 in 10 overs) picked up the important wicket of Williamson, it was Jasprit Bumrah (3/35 in 10 overs) whose bowling was a revelation during death overs.