Sports Report
RAIPUR: Fast bowler Mohammed Shami led an inspired pace attack to help India secure a crushing eight-wicket, series-clinching victory in the second one-day international (ODI) against New Zealand on Saturday.
India’s pace spearhead, Shami, returned figures of 3-18 to help dismiss New Zealand for 108 after the hosts decided to bowl first in Raipur.
Skipper Rohit Sharma scored 51 runs and Shubman Gill an unbeaten 40 runs as India romped home in 20.1 overs to take an invincible 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
At the toss, Rohit Sharma took a while to announce his decision to field first and told the presenter he “forgot” regarding the team call.
However, things soon turned serious when Mohammad Mohammad Shami took a wicket in the first over and, with his fellow quicks, had New Zealand reeling at 15-5 by the 11th over.
Glenn Phillips scored 36 runs as he combined with the middle- and lower-order batters, including Michael Bracewell (22 runs) and Mitchell Santner (27 runs), to take the total past 100 runs, but the innings lasted only 34.3 overs.
India clinch ODI series
After Mohammad Shami’s opening-ball heroics, fellow quick Hardik Pandya and spin bowler Washington Sundar took charge to return two wickets each.
Shami bowled Finn Allen in the first over at a venue making its international debut.
Mohammed Siraj took Henry Nicholls for two before Pandya and Shami took two wickets to rattle New Zealand, whose skipper Tom Latham went for one.
Bracewell and Phillips attempted to rebuild the inning and hit back in a 41-run sixth-wicket partnership before Shami broke through.
Shami got Bracewell, who hit 140 runs in his team’s 12-run loss in the opening match, caught behind.
Phillips kept up the defiance in another stand with the left-handed Santner. The pair put on 47 runs before Pandya bowled Santner.
Phillips loosed his wicket in an attempt to hit out captain Sundar, only to be caught at mid-wicket, and the New Zealand innings soon folded.
The Indian openers Gill and Rohit, who hit a match-winning 208 runs in the opener, put on 72 runs for India on the opening wicket.
Rohit hit some delightful boundaries, including a six, to ease into the New Zealand target.
Rohit kept up the charge as he reached his 50 runs in 47 balls but soon fell lbw off fast bowler Henry Shipley.
Virat Kohli hit a few boundaries before Latham stumped him off Santner for 11.
Gill struck the winning four with the left-handed Ishan Kishan at the non-striker end.
The final match of the ODI series is on Tuesday in Indore.
