New Zealand pulled a stirring comeback and clinched the ODI series by 2-1 over India with a 41-run win in the third and last match in Indore on Sunday with the help of centuries by Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips.
Asked to bat first on a usually high scoring Holkar Stadium surface, New Zealand recovered from early trouble to post an imposing total of 336. The visitors were buckling at 58 for three when Mitchell and Phillips joined forces to deliver an all-time defining partnership match.
Displaying composure and controlled aggression the pair added 219 runs in 188 balls, which steadfastly took the momentum away from the Indian bowlers.
Mitchell went on with his outstanding performances in the series and topped it with a career-high 137 runs in the ODI cricket match, during which he hit 15 boundaries and 3 sixes.
The right-hander had already scored 84 and 131 in the first two matches registered his fourth ODI Century on Indian soil.
Phillips was the perfect partner to Mitchell matching his intensity and ensuring that New Zealand continued to score at a great rate throughout the middle and death overs.
Chasing 337, India was immediately under pressure, and they lost wickets at regular intervals. Virat Kohli once again stood tall and anchored the innings with a determined 124 that allowed the contest to continue.
He found valuable support from Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored 53 in an 88-run partnership which momentarily revived the hopes of India.
However, the tide definitively turned when Kristian Clarke took out Reddy forcing India on an increasingly uphill chase. Kohli later joined forces with Harshit Rana who scored 52 off 43 balls with a steep rise in the run rate.
Kohli scored a knuckle-saving 54th ODI century but a crucial over by Zak Foulkes took the match away. Rana was caught at long-on, Mohammed Siraj edged two balls later and Kohli’s ouster two overs later virtually damped India’s challenge.
The teams will now focus on a five-match T20I series from January 21 to 31 to be an integral part of their preparation and build-up for the T20 World Cup which starts on February 7th.
Also read: Indore set for series decider as India, New Zealand clash in 3rd ODI
