India galloped to its seventh consecutive ODI series wins by defeating New Zealand by 6 runs in the 3rd ODI at Kanpur. Earlier, New Zealand won the toss in the all-important 3rd One Day International and opted to bowl first. Both the teams went into the match unchanged, not looking to risk a change of personnel and combination. Team India got off to a rash start as they lost Shikhar Dhawan early in the piece, trying to force the issue for 14. That is when Virat Kohli joined Rohit Sharma. The pair started off in a jittery manner but as they settled in, the two, star batsman started milking the Kiwi bowling around. Slowly but surely as they got their eye in, the shots started coming out. They upped the ante and shifted gears beautifully. Rohit Sharma brought up his 15th hundred, Virat Kohli followed next, he reached his 32nd ton. Both the batsmen stitched a partnership of 230 runs. Virat, Rohit departed for 113 and 147 respectively. India set the Kiwis a target off 338, which looked mammoth then. For the Kiwis, Santner, Boult and Southee picked two wickets apiece.
Innings Break! #TeamIndia 337/6 in 50 overs (Rohit 147, Virat 113). Follow the game here – https://t.co/8l9in2YV6J #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/RDu0DUQ6pq
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 29, 2017
The Kiwis started the chase in a belligerent fashion, they got 19 in the first over and made their intentions clear. But soon they lost Martin Guptill for 10 but that did not stop Munro at the other end who was going hell for leather. Kane Williamson joined a red-hot Munro and the pair put on 109 runs together before Munro departed for a blazing 75 off 62 balls. Williamson departed soon after that for 64, that is just when one felt that the Kiwis had lost the plot and were looking down the barrel.
Huge finish in store in Kanpur. BLACKCAPS 288-4, requiring 50 more to win 30 balls. Latham (60*) & Nicholls (23*) in the middle #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/oYpMLnT7zk
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 29, 2017
Tom Latham and Ross Taylor, the architects of the Kiwi win had again started forming a partnership and things were looking just a bit bleak for India when Taylor got dismissed for 39. Latham was then joined by Nicholls and the two got things moving again. Latham brought up his 50 off 37 balls and it seemed the Kiwis were on course, with 66 required off 42 at that stage. Finally, there was some respite when Nicholls departed for 37 of 24 balls. Latham finally departed with the game going down to the wire, he was run out for 65 off 52 balls.
It boiled down to the last over with Kiwis needing 15 off 6 balls. Grandhomme remained not out as India won the match by 6 runs.
