New Delhi:
Virat Kohli's Indian cricket team created history as they won a match on Republic Day to win the Bay Oval ODI by 90 runs and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 325, New Zealand batsmen started aggressively but none of them carried on. Kuldeep Yadav was once again the chief destroyer as he took 4/45. Doug Bracewell slammed his maiden fifty but it proved to be a bridge too far. Earlier, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan started off in blazing fashion with both batsmen hitting fifties. Rohit notched up his 38th fifty while Dhawan slammed his 27th but the 154-run stand was ended by Trent Boult when Dhawan edged a cut to Tom Latham to fall for 66. Rohit also missed out on his century as he departed for 87. Virat Kohli looked good but he fell to the short ball again for 43. MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu boosted India in the middle overs with the former India skipper narrowly missing out on his fourth consecutive fifty. Lockie Ferguson conceded 21 runs in the final over as India reached 324/4. (SCORECARD)
India have finally broken their jinx on Republic Day by winning a match for the first time. The 90-run win gives Kohli's side a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Rohit Sharma is the Man of the Match for his knock of 87.
Boult hits a four and a six as Doug Bracewell holes out to deep cover with Shikhar Dhawan taking the catch. Ends an enterprising innings from Bracewell but New Zealand are going down.
No five-wicket haul for Kuldeep Yadav as he ends with figures of 4/45. New Zealand need 101 off 66 balls. Can Doug Bracewell do the unthinkable?
Doug Bracewell is nearing his first ODI fifty. That should give New Zealand something to smile but it can't avoid the fact that they are going 0-2 down soon.
Doug Bracewell is entertaining the crowd with some big hits but one feels this is in a lost cause for New Zealand with just two wickets remaining.
Another one! Kuldeep gets his fourth as he bowls Ish Sodhi for a golden duck as he is bowled round the legs in trying to attempt a weird kind of shot. Can he get the hat-trick? No, he cannot.
For the second match running, New Zealand have been let down by poor shots and Kuldeep Yadav gets his third. Nicholls slices the slog and ends up popping a catch to backward point.
Henry Nicholls is holding firm but New Zealand need a miracle partnership if they have to register a turnaround against India.
Another one falls and Colin de Grandhomme mistimes the slog sweep to be caught at deep midwicket. Ambati rayudu hangs back and takes a great catch as New Zealand stumble.
Latham and Henry Nicholls were doing such a good job of rebuilding but Kuldeep Yadav breaks the stand with a flighted delivery that dips in and Latham plays across the line to get trapped in front. New Zealand stumbling away.
Ok, it is established. Dhoni is a freak of nature. The stumpings are beyond supernatural. Taylor played inside the line to a flatter ball from Jadhav and got beaten, MS Dhoni effected the stumping but Taylor's foot was in the air just by a fraction. One had to zoom in to see the stumping. The third umpire gives him out and Taylor has to march back.
Yuzvendra Chahal strikes. Poor shot selection from Munro and he departs for 31. The left-hander employs the reverse sweep but misses and is hit on the back leg. He does not review and India have their third wicket.
With Vijay Shankar proving to be ineffective, India might be tempted to get Kuldeep Yadav in early. For the moment, Kedar Jadhav is in and Yuzvendra Chahal might switch ends.
Colin Munro remains in confident touch as he gets two boundaries off Bhuvneshwar and Ross Taylor is providing some solid assistance.
6,6,4 and then bowled. Williamson falls and that is the massive wicket India were looking for. Back of a length ball and it cuts back in, Williamson is cramped for room and he inside edges it back onto the stumps.
Williamson on a roll. After Munro hits a six off Bhuvneshwar, the New Zealand skipper responds with two pulled sixes off Shami and a nicely creamed boundary through backward point. The Kiwis are scoring close to seven runs an over.
The upper-cut accounts for Guptill. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bangs it short and close to the off stump and Guptill upper-cuts it to third man but Yuzvendra Chahal takes the catch close to the boundary.
Guptill gets going with two more boundaries off Bhuvneshwar. Once the right-hander gets going, it will be difficult to stop him.
Martin Guptill survives a run-out chance in the first ball and he had given up. But, Rayudu missed with the throw. Colin Munro gets going by cutting a short ball from Bhuvneshwar to the deep point fence. Chaotic first over.
MS Dhoni's blitz has propelled India to 324/4 at the end of 20 overs. Lockie Ferguson concedes 21 runs in the final over and Dhoni just missed out on his fourth consecutive fifty.
MS Dhoni is playing yet another gem of a knock and he benefits from a drop by Colin de Grandhomme off Ferguson. India are nearing 300.
Ferguson gets his second wicket. Rayudu shuffled to the leg side and Ferguson bangs a short ball, Rayudu top-edges the pull and the catch is taken. The onus is on MS Dhoni now to get India to 330.
Ever since the two fours by Kohli, New Zealand have not conceded a boundary in the last four overs. This can go a long way in the hosts restricting India to under 330.
The short ball accounts for Virat Kohli again. Boult bangs it short and the Indian skipper gets a top edge to fine leg to fall for 43. MS Dhoni has started slowly and New Zealand are pulling things back. Rayudu holds the key.
The partnership between Rayudu and Kohli has gone past 50. Kohli is also nearing his 49th fifty and it will be interesting to see how New Zealand cope with the onslaught.
With the pitch still looking in great shape, India can reach a total in excess of 350. New Zealand are stuggling for the breakthrough.
Kohli slams two boundaries off Doug Bracewell and India continue to make good progress.
Rohit Sharma has thrown away his century as he pulls Locke Ferguson straight to Colin de Grandhomme at deep square leg. Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu are looking to steady the innings.
Boult finally gets the breakthrough and the stand is broken. Short ball outside off, Dhawan goes for the cut and the edge is taken by Tom Latham. Much needed relief for New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma is blazing towards a magnificent century while Shikhar Dhawan is nearing a ton as well. This is murder at Bay Oval.
Rohit Sharma notches up his 38th ODI fifty and he gets it with a six. This is the 14th 100-run partnership.
Both players are playing confidently and are nearing fifties. Who will get there first?
Dhawan and Rohit are decimating the New Zealand bowling as they come closer to their fifties. Carnage at Bay Oval. Dhawan hits two boundaries off Colin de Grandhomme while Rohit blasts a six off Ish Sodhi.
Rohit Sharma is nearing a fifty and New Zealand struggle to get the breakthrough. This is looking like a batting paradise and it will need something special from Williamson's side to restrict India to a below-par score.
Rohit Sharma is taking on the short ball well as he clobbers a bouncer from Ferguson to the deep midwicket fence. The opening stand has gone past fifty with Dhawan punching a straight drive to the long on fence.
Lockie Ferguson is into the attack and he immediately troubles Rohit as the ball just misses the off stump. Even in Napier, he was impressive.
Rohit and Dhawan are flaying the New Zealand bowlers as India start off like a train. These are worrying times for Kane Williamson's side.
Good start from Shikhar Dhawan as he glances Doug Bracewell to the fine leg boundary and Rohit gets another four, this time a perfect straight drive to the long off region.
EDGED BUT SAFE! First ball from Trent Boult and Rohit Sharma gets the outside edge but it is past slips. Lucky escape for Rohit.
Here are the playing XIs of both sides
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson(c), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham(w), Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Doug Bracewell, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w), Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami
New Zealand have made two changes to the side. No Tim Southee and Mitchell Santner and they have included Colin de Grandhomme and Ish Sodhi.
India have chosen to bat in the second ODI and they are unchanged.
By the way, 26th January is a very auspicious time for India for the nation celebrates its 69th year as a Republic. Happy Republic Day to everyone.
A warm welcome to the second ODI from the glorious Bay Oval from Mount Maunganui. This venue, as mentioned, has plenty of great memories for India and Virat Kohli will be determined to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
