Player of the Match
Player of the Match
1917dThe Report by Sidharth Monga

Shami, wristspinners set up comfortable win for India

Mohammed Shami continued to challenge for India's first XI come World Cup with another lovely display of seam bowling to set up a comfortable win for India - their first in an ODI in New Zealand since 2009 - opening ODI of the five-match series

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

S Dhawan
S Dhawan
75(103) 6x4 - 0x6
Control %88%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 20 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
0 1 9 6 16 4 9 30
KS Williamson
KS Williamson
64(81) 7x4 - 0x6
Control %90%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 19 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
0 2 12 3 16 3 8 20

Best performances - Bowlers

Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav
O10
M1
R39
W4
Eco3.90
RHB
OFFLEG
4W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami
O6
M2
R19
W3
Eco3.16
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
2W

Commentator: Alagappan Muthu

That's all we have for you. Thanks for your company. From Varun and I, it's buh-bye. #RhymesFTW

"It was one of our more balanced performances in the last few games. When I lost the toss, I thought it was going to be 300 par. One-fifty-odd on that wicket was superb," says Virat Kohli. "The fast bowling group together believe they can knock any side over. And the belief in his own ability and his fitness - this is the fittest I've seen him in his career. And his Test form has translated into one-day cricket. The pitch got slow in the second half of the innings but in the first half the spinners bowled well, cramped the batsmen and they still made it difficult despite the dimesions on the field. Very important innings for Dhawan. We spoke about how he needed to finish games for India, to keep his confidence and if he's in that mindset, he can be a great asset. Never had that happen. 2014, I got out once with the sun in my eyes and this rule wasn't there then"

"It wasn't our best effort. We expected INdia to be good and they were very good. It wasn't the traditional surface here. But it wasn't hard. We just had to get through the slower balls but I do think their lengths were immaculate. Obviously 150 on the board on a surface where 250 was par was hard," Kane Williamson says. "Sometimes it helps [break between playing]. It was lack of adjusting to the surface. Sometimes you come here and think it's 350-plus. This one needed a bit more graft. All the Indian bowlers contributed but we do need to be better. I do think our energy in the field and with the ball was good though and we need to move on from this game quickly"

"Success boils down to the hard work by the team on the whole. And we always have plans for players. Plan A, Plan B. We can go from one to the next," Mohammed Shami, the Man of the Match says. "Coming back from injury, we have good facilities provided to us. It changed things for me a bit. It was big blow. For the next 18 months I was in rehab. I trained really hard and when I came into the team, everyone backed me, the management, the captain and so I was able to push my limits, keep getting fitter and fitter. Slight changes in conditions. Grounds are bigger in Australia. Looking a tthe last series we played here, it was important to figure out where to bowl her depending on those dimensions"

9.37 pm India win by roughly a truckload of wickets and overs to spare. (It's eight and 14.1, but who cares?) They made excellent use of the new ball with Mohammed Shami striking twice in his opening spell (two maidens in those four overs too) and the wristspinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav giving them no place to hide thereafter. There were very few complications in the case - the target was only 158 after all - barring that little sun-stopped-play incident (seriously, read all about it) - as Shikhar Dhawan struck his first fifty-plus score in nine ODI innings.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, after missing a fifty, and the chance to average 60 in ODIs, is taking a ride on a segway. Possibly borrowed it from one of the cameramen. And Dhoni steals it off him. Then Kohli takes it back, dancing on it to prove his superiority. It's all happening.

Hitesh : "Wither Guptill or Munro has to go, need stability at the top for NZ. Top order needs to set a platform not expecting next drop to come in so soon."

Jiten Surtani: "Goodluck with explaining to a new person how India win after scoring 156 after New Zealand scored 157 !" Just say DLS. If they ask you to explain, shrug your shoulders and say Deee Elll Yesss.

34.5
1
Southee to Rayudu, 1 run, slower ball, Rayudu drops it in front of point, Dhawan responds for the single and India win!

Sukhbir Singh: "I think what's happening with Rayudu is somewhat similar to what happened with MSD in first game, I think this innning can help him in performing better in next innings."

34.4
0
Southee to Rayudu, no run, steers a back of a length delivery to point
34.3
0
Southee to Rayudu, no run, full and outside off, defends
34.2
4
Southee to Rayudu, FOUR, steps out and launches the length ball outside off over cover. Scores tied
34.1
1
Southee to Dhawan, 1 run, good length, outside off, punches to mid-off

END OF OVER:
34 | 2 Runs | IND: 150/2 (6 runs required from 15 overs, RR: 4.41, RRR: 0.40)

  • Ambati Rayudu8 (19b)
  • Shikhar Dhawan74 (102b)
  • Doug Bracewell7-0-23-1
  • Lockie Ferguson8-0-41-1
33.6
0
Bracewell to Rayudu, no run, steps out of his crease but Bracewell keeps following him, tucking him up and Rayudu can only push it to cover

India 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st41S DhawanRG Sharma
2nd91S DhawanV Kohli
3rd24AT RayuduS Dhawan