New Delhi:
New Zealand put in a fabulous all-round show in the Hamilton ODI as they bowled India out for a paltry 92 and secured an eight-wicket win to register a consolation win in the five-match ODI series. Trent Boult’s 5/21, his fifth five-wicket haul bowled India out for their lowest total in New Zealand and chased the total down with 212 balls to spare. This represented India’s heaviest margin of defeat in ODIs with regards to number of balls remaining. In addition to this being India’s seventh-lowest score in this format and third-lowest by a visiting team in New Zealand, this statistic summed up a bad day for Rohit Sharma’s Indian cricket team.
Boult trapped Shikhar Dhawan LBW for 13 with a full ball that nipped back in to trap the batsman in front of middle and leg. Boult got a delivery to dart back in off the seam and Rohit Sharma (7) could manage to only push it back to the bowler who took a smart return catch. At the other end, Colin de Grandhomme gave Boult good support as he picked up Ambati Rayudu (0) and Dinesh Karthik (0) in one over. Shubman Gill (9), the debutant got going with a boundary but he was also undone by a sharp inswinger from Boult as the batsman chipped a drive back to the bowler. Kedar Jadhav (1) was trapped plumb in front by a full ball that curved back in and even the review could not save him. Hardik Pandya slammed three boundaries in one over but he was also sent back with a short ball on leg stump that stuck on the pitch and the batsman could only glove it to the keeper Tom Latham.
The margin of losing with 212 balls to spare is the highest for India in ODIs, beating the previous record of 209 balls which was against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in 2010. India was bowled out for 103 with Thisara Perera taking 5/28 as Sri Lanka won the game by eight wickets. Their next loss was also against Sri Lanka, this time in Hambantota in 2012. India were bundled out for 123 with Perera again taking 3/19 and Angelo Mathews chipping in with 3/14 as Sri Lanka secured a nine-wicket win with 181 balls to spare. Sri Lanka continued to hurt India and in the 2017 ODI in Dharamsala, Suranga Lakmal picked up 4/13 to bowl India out for 112 and Sri Lanka won by seven wickets with 176 balls to spare.
Before this, India was bundled out for 63, their then-lowest score in ODIs during the game against Australia in Sydney in 1981. Greg Chappell picked up 5/15 and Australia coasted to victory by nine wickets with 174 balls to spare. India would be aiming to bounce back in the final ODI in Wellington but the margin of defeat is a serious wake-up call for the side.
