During the second ODI of New Zealand’s tour of India 2023 in Raipur, India beat New Zealand by 8 wickets to gain an unassailable 2-0 lead with another match to be played in Indore on Tuesday.
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Chasing a meagre 109-run target, India were always expected to reach the winning line without any discomfort. A 72-run opening partnership between captain Rohit Sharma (51) and opening batter Shubman Gill (40*) further laid foundation for what can be classified as one of the easiest victories registered by the Indian team in this format.
Sharma’s 48th ODI half-century was also his 35th as an opening batter, 27th in Asia, 18th at home, seventh as captain and fifth against New Zealand. Gill, meanwhile, remained unaffected by whatever little challenge was put on display by the opposition’s bowlers in front of him. For someone coming on the back of consecutive centuries, him batting without much trouble wasn’t surprising by any means.
IND vs NZ 2nd ODI Man of the Match
Sharma might have forgotten what to do after winning the toss in the afternoon but his eventual decision worked wonders for the team as his bowlers dismissed the visitors on 108 in 34.3 overs.
India’s new-ball bowlers namely Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj bowled only four overs each in their first spells but the same was enough for them to put the BlackCaps on the back foot. New Zealand, who scored only 10/3 in eight overs, had lost half their side within the next 15 deliveries.
Batter Glenn Phillips (36) and all-rounders Mitchell Santner (27) and Michael Bracewell (22) did chip in with some runs but the triad’s collective performance did no good to the team than push them to a three-figure innings total.
Pick of the Indian bowlers, Shami picked bowling figures of 6-1-18-3 to bag an ODI match award for the fifth time in his career. Having won a Player of the Match award in this format after almost four years, Shami expressed joy particularly at his almost unmatched “seam position” among modern-day bowlers.
“I never thought that I’d get to have a proper seam position and it gives me joy to see the seam upright as it goes in the air. As a new-ball bowler, it’s important to assess the conditions and pass the message quickly to the other bowlers as well,” Shami told Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
