Incessant rains washed out the third and final ODI between India and New Zealand at Christchurch on Wednesday, with the home team clinching the three-match series 1-0 having produced a dominant performance throughout the 50-overs contests between the two teams.
New Zealand were in complete command of the third and final match on Wednesday having bowled out India for a paltry score of 219 in 47.3 overs, as they were placed at a strong 104/1 after 18 overs when rain intervened to wash out the remaining play in the day.
It was New Zealand all the way on Wednesday after their captain Kane Williamson won the toss and put India into bat. The visiting side, consisting of several talented and young batsmen who are looking to make their mark on the tour, suffered a string of ordinary performances with only Shreyas Iyer (49) and Washington Sundar (51) standing tall against the New Zealand bowling on a cloudy day.
The right-handed middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer smacked 8 boundaries to make 49 from 59 balls but he was the second highest run-getter for India with all-rounder Washington Sundar scoring a magnificent half-century – one that pushed their total beyond the 200-run mark.
Washington Sundar scored 51 from 64 balls with 5 boundaries and a six and vital runs along with the tail in batsmen – the highlight here being his 31-run stand with Yuzvendra Chahal – to help put up some runs on the board for the Indian bowlers to bowl at.
For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell turned out to be a surprise package after the batting all-rounder returned with an impressive 7-0-25-3 while the right-arm fast bowler Adam Milne took 3/57 from his 10 overs.
The veteran right-arm bowler Tim Southee was also impressive in friendly conditions, returning with 8.3-1-36-2. Lockie Ferguson chipped in with 1 wicket as India failed to bat their full quota of overs.
It was a forgettable day for the Indian batsmen but Shubman Gill making 13, Rishabh Pant permission for 10, Suryakumar Yadav managing only six and Deepak Hooda making 12.
The failure with the bat for wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant once again ignited the debate whether he was the right choice or, if, he was getting far too many chances when compared with somebody who has been more successful and deserving as Sanju Samson.
While Washington Sundar’s fifty and a useful contribution from Shreyas Iyer pushed India beyond 200, New Zealand showed no qualms in getting the runs with right-handed opening batsmen Finn Allen smacking 8 fours and a six to make 57 from 54 balls and Devon Conway reaching 38 not out from 51 balls with 6 boundaries before the match was stopped by rains.
However, they were slammed all over the park by the New Zealand opening pair of Finn Allen and Devon Conway, who added 97 runs inside 17 overs to put their side well and truly on the way to victory.
New Zealand had earlier won the first ODI against India by a huge margin of 7 wickets which was the only completed contest between the two teams in this 50-overs series as the second match at Hamilton was also washed out due to persistent rains.
Tom Latham was the hero of their victory in the first ODI along with the captain Kane Williamson in Auckland, who both had added 221 runs for the fourth wicket to put New Zealand 1-0 ahead in the three-match affair.
The New Zealand team will now be heading over to Pakistan late in December for a two-match Test series followed by three ODIs whereas the Indian team will have their Bangladesh tour starting in early December, which also consists of two Test matches and three one-day internationals.