New Delhi:
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat but they got off to a disastrous start with Mohammed Shami getting rid of Martin Guptill and Colin Munro cheaply. Ross Taylor tried to steady the innings but Yuzvendra Chahal got his wicket. Kane Williamson held firm and scored his 36th fifty but wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Kuldeep Yadav polished off the lower order and finished with figures of 4/39 as New Zealand were bundled out for 157 in Napier. Chasing 158, India lost Rohit Sharma cheaply but the match was halted for a bizzare reason due to sunlight getting directly in the eyes of the batsman. India were left a target of 156 to chase in 49 overs and Shikhar Dhawan blasted 75*, his 26th fifty in ODIs and Kohli hit an aggressive 45 as India sealed a eight-wicket win over New Zealand to take a 1-0 lead in the series. (SCORECARD)
That is all from us here in Napier. Join us on January 26 for the second ODI which will begin in Mount Maunganui.
Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper: When I lost the toss, I thought a score of about 300-plus but the bowlers were brilliant. To get them out for 150-odd on this pitch was brilliant. Belief in his (Shami) abilities is key and as he said, the fast bowling unit is extremely confident of knocking any team out. The lines and lengths bowled by the spinners were brilliant because the pitch only slowed down in the second half and they were really good. Really important innings for Shikhar and we spoke during the sun break that he needed to finish the game to get some momentum. He is a dangerous player when in rhythm. (Whether he's experienced a sun strike break before) Never in my life, this rule wasn't there in 2014 and I actually got out in a similar situation.
Kane Williamson, the New Zealand skipper: India, we expected them to be good and they really were on top of the game. The surface wasn't as traditional as we thought it to be. India bowled well, particularly the lengths hit by their slower bowlers were really good.
Mohammed Shami is the Man of the Match for his spell of 3/19. He says in the post-match presentation, "Whatever we have achieved has been a team effort. We enjoy each other's success and are able to execute our plans. If we have a plan A that doesn't work, there's always a Plan B. As a bowling unit, we decide things together. Injuries changed my outlook. I made a comeback after a long time and spent a good time at our rehab centre which is world class."
India have done it! Rayudu blasts a four off Tim Southee and Virat Kohli's side has defeated New Zealand by eight wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. This has been clinical from India.
Shikhar Dhawan survives a run-out as India need less than 10 runs for a clinical victory. This loss will hurt New Zealand immensely.
Virat Kohli falls and it is a deserved wicket for Lockie Ferguson. He slants a full ball from wide of the crease and Kohli tickles it to through the keeper. Falls for 45.
Virat Kohli is given out LBW but he reviews. RTS shows a spike and the decision has been overturned. India are coasting towards victory.
26th ODI fifty for Dhawan. After nine innings, he finally gets to the landmark and it is a great start to him on this tour after a tough series in Australia.
Dhawan is nearing a fifty while Kohli, as usual, is playing yet another serene knock.
Apparently, India are chasing 156 in 49 overs. The 50-run stand is up between Kohli and Dhawan. The sunbreak did result in one over being deducted. Was it that long? I have my doubts but a rule might be a rule.
Kohli and Dhawan are amking smooth progress. New Zealand are trying some things but it is just not working. Mitchell Santner into the attack.
Shikhar Dhawan top-edges a pull from Doug Bracewell but Tom Latham makes good ground only to spill the catch. India need less than 100 now and things are going along smoothly.
And we are back. The shadows have lengthened at McLean Park Napier and we are all set to resume play.
Play is all set to resume in 15 minutes. No overs are lost. The sun is setting and the umpires are waiting for the right time to ensure the batsmen can see the ball properly.
This is really weird. Rohit Sharma is caught off the bowling of Doug Bracewell but Dhawan can't spot the ball as the sun is shining directly in his face. Play has been suspended.
That is the innings break, now turned into a dinner break. India have reached 41/0, needing another 117 runs for a win.
Dhawan blasts two boundaries off Southee and India are making good progress. Lockie Ferguson is into the attack. Can New Zealand get a massive breakthrough?
Shikhar Dhawan gets to 5000 ODI runs and he is the second-fastest Indian to reach the landmark. Proud moment for him and Rohit Sharma eases the pressure further with a boundary.
Dhawan and Rohit are surviving a testing spell from Boult and Southee, with both bowlers getting some late swing.
Dhawan gets going with a boundary as he lofts Tim Southee to the deep extra cover fence for a boundary.
Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan are out in the middle and they survive a testing over from Trent Boult. The lunch break will be taken in 30 minutes time, such has been the level of dominance.
New Zealand have been bundled out for 157 and Kuldeep Yadav finishes with 4/39. This is a calamitous start for the hosts and India will be aiming to chase this total down without any hassles.
Dhawan drops Southee but India will not mind as Kuldeep gets his third with Lockie Ferguson getting stumped by Dhoni. New Zealand are sinking fast.
Williamson continues to play positively but he is running out of partners. Doug Bracewell can bat a bit but India are now into the tail.
WICKET! Shami has put India in command as he traps Mitchell Santner LBW. The batsman walked across slightly and looked to work a full ball to fine leg but missed it. That ball would have hit leg stump.
India lose a review as they appeal for a catch against Mitchell Santner. There was also an appeal for a stumping but Santner is safe on both counts. India lose a review.
Williamson and Santner strike a couple of boundaries as New Zealand aim to increase their current run-rate.
Williamson notches up his 36th fifty as he drives a full and loopy ball from Jadhav to deep extra cover for a couple. Class knock from the New Zealand skipper and the team need him to stay till the end if they are to get a good total.
Brilliant catch from Kuldeep Yadav. Jadhav floats the flighted delivery on leg stump and Nicholls dances down the track to whip it to mid wicket, but Kuldeep dives to his right to take a stunning catch.
Williamson nears his 50 and he is getting some good support from Henry Nicholls. New Zealand have crossed 100 but the current run-rate is just under 4.5. If these two hang in, the death overs could be the time for New Zealand where they capitalise.
Williamson nears his fifty by hammering two boundaries off Yuzvendra Chahal as New Zealand aim to stage yet another revival.
WICKET! Chahal gets another caught and bowled. Latham chips this flighted delivery and Chahal moves to his left to take a low catch. The third umpire has a look and the soft signal is out.
DROPPED! Kedar Jadhav drops Kane Williamson at long leg on 20. It was not a god effort and Virat Kohli is absolutely fuming.
WICKET! Great stuff from Yuzvendra Chahal as Ross Taylor's quest at a record ends. India have ended the streak. Flighted legbreak on middle stump and Taylor looks to work it to the leg side, ends up chipping it back to Chahal who takes a good catch.
Vijay Shankar and Yuzvendra Chahal are operating in tandem but Williamson and Taylor are building a solid stand.
New Zealand are making slow progress after the dismissal of the openers. Guptill and Munro could have started well for the hosts but their cheap dismissal has hurt their prospects.
Mohammed Shami now has more than 100 wickets and he continues to trouble the Kiwis. Kane Williamson goes for the drive but the ball holds its line and the outside edge just lands in front of a diving Virat Kohli at cover point.
Munro slams two boundaries off Bhuvneshwar while Williamson gets going with a sublime boundary. However, Shami has his revenge by angling a full ball in and Colin Munro is bowled for eight.
WICKET! Mohammed Shami gets the massive breakthrough. Martin Guptill was troubled by the inswinger and he perishes. The delivery is on a fullish length and it nips back in, Guptill gets an inside edge and the ball pegs the off stump back.
Martin Guptill gets going with a boundary to deep square leg off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Mohammed Shami to open with Bhuvi.
Here is the New Zealand playing XI
Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham (wk), Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Here is India's playing XI. Still waiting New Zealand's playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), MS Dhoni(w), Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Vijay Shankar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami
Ambati Rayudu is in the side in place of Dinesh Karthik. We are not sure of the other changes in the New Zealand side.
New Zealand have chosen to bat against India in Napier. Mitchell Santner and Doug Bracewell are in the BLACKCAPS side.
They easily conquered South Africa. They hammered Australia and they suffered a blip against England. New Zealand are a team that cannot be easily defeated at home, having lost a series just twice in five years.
When it comes to Napier, the first immediate landmark goes to a Virat Kohli century in a chase. However, this venue is different. Unlike other instances, this was the first time India had lost when Kohli had scored a hundred in a chase.
Hello and a warm welcome to the first ODI between New Zealand and India from Napier. Virat Kohli's side created history in Australia, now they will be eyeing revenge in New Zealand, having been drubbed 0-4 in their last meeting in 2014.
