India secured a 22-run victory over New Zealand in the fifth ODI at Bay Oval on Sunday, sealing their third ODI series win in the country after the 2009 and 2018-19 seasons. The Indian pacers produced a disciplined display in a low-scoring contest, restricting New Zealand to 187 in 48.1 overs while defending a target of 210.
Arshdeep Singh was the standout bowler for India with 3/30, while Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj claimed two wickets each. Auqib Nabi, Yash Thakur and Naman Dhir took one wicket apiece. Dean Foxcroft’s 31 was New Zealand’s highest score, but the hosts were unable to complete the chase.
New Zealand lose wickets at regular intervals
New Zealand began cautiously, with Tim Seifert and Will Young negotiating the opening two overs before finding boundaries against Siraj and Arshdeep. Siraj broke the partnership in the sixth over when Seifert was caught at mid-on for 14 off 21 balls, including two fours, leaving New Zealand at 26/1 in 5.3 overs.
The hosts reached 41/1 after 10 overs, with Young and Nick Kelly at the crease. New Zealand crossed 50 in the 12th over, but India’s fast bowlers soon tightened the scoring. Young attempted an aerial shot against Arshdeep and was caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad at deep backward square leg for 22 off 42 balls. The score stood at 64/2 in 16.3 overs.
At the halfway stage, New Zealand were 80/2, with Foxcroft and Kelly attempting to rebuild. Arshdeep then removed Kelly for 22 off 45 balls, with two fours, before dismissing Finn Allen for one in the same phase. The hosts slipped to 83/4 in 21.3 overs.
Foxcroft and Michael Bracewell took New Zealand past 100 in the 27th over, and the score reached 116/4 after 30 overs. Their partnership ended soon afterwards. Nabi dismissed Bracewell for 19 off 33 balls, while Yash Thakur removed Foxcroft, who made 31 off 42 deliveries with five fours. New Zealand were reduced to 119/6 in 31.1 overs.
Mitchell Santner and Kristian Clarke added stability and took the total to 155/6 after 40 overs, leaving New Zealand 55 runs short with 10 overs remaining. Naman Dhir then provided India with the key breakthrough by removing Santner for 24 off 31 balls, including a four and a six.
Arshdeep dismissed Clarke for 16 off 35 balls after the all-rounder edged the ball to Ishan Kishan. The left-arm pacer claimed his third wicket soon afterwards, leaving New Zealand at 161/8 in 42.4 overs. Axar Patel then had Jacob Duffy caught near the boundary by Virat Kohli for nine off 12 balls.
With New Zealand needing 23 runs from the final two overs, Axar completed the innings by dismissing Blair Tickner for 14 off 20 balls. The hosts were bowled out for 187 in 48.1 overs.
India’s top order fails to convert starts
Earlier, New Zealand’s bowlers kept India under pressure after the visitors were sent in to bat. Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad opened cautiously, with Rohit hitting a four over cover against Jacob Duffy and Gaikwad finding two boundaries off Matthew Fisher.
The opening stand lasted only 23 runs. Rohit was caught by Dean Foxcroft at mid-wicket in the sixth over after scoring seven from 13 balls. He finished the series with 30 runs. Virat Kohli was dismissed in the eighth over for five off seven balls after edging an attempted slash against Fisher to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert.
Duffy then accounted for Gaikwad, who was caught by Seifert for 18 off 27 balls. India were in trouble at 34/3 after 8.1 overs.
Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel began the recovery. India reached 37/3 after 10 overs, and Iyer struck two boundaries off Duffy in the next over. He was also dropped by Finn Allen at third slip, while Axar survived a direct-hit attempt. Their partnership helped India reach 50 in 11.2 overs.
Blair Tickner broke the stand by using the short ball to force Iyer into a pull shot. The Indian captain was dismissed for 22 from 26 balls, including three fours, with India at 86/4 in 17.2 overs.
Axar continued to attack and reached 46 off 55 balls, hitting five fours and a six. However, he fell to Michael Bracewell while attempting a punch, finding Will Young at mid-wicket. India were 121/5 after 25 overs.
Ishan Kishan and Naman Dhir added useful runs and took India to 150 in 31.1 overs. Santner ended their 39-run partnership by dismissing Naman for 31 off 22 balls after he attempted an inside-out shot and was caught by Nick Kelly.
Santner struck again to remove Auqib Nabi for five and Yash Thakur for a duck, reducing India to 166/8 after 36 overs. Ishan top-scored alongside Axar with 46 from 58 balls, including three fours and two sixes, before Duffy dismissed him in the 41st over.
Arshdeep Singh added a brisk 14 from four balls, including two sixes, while Mohammed Siraj remained unbeaten on 14 from 20 deliveries. Their late contribution carried India to 209 in 42.1 overs.
Duffy finished with three wickets for 60 runs in 8.1 overs, while New Zealand captain Santner took 3/47 in 10 overs. Fisher claimed two wickets and Bracewell took one. For India, the victory was built around Arshdeep’s 3/30, Axar’s 2/28, Siraj’s 2/50, Nabi’s 1/37, Yash Thakur’s 1/38 and Naman Dhir’s 1/4.
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