Clinical India dismantle New Zealand in Napier ODI affected by break in play due to sun

Shikhar Dhawan slammed a fifty after nine innings, Virat Kohli continued his dominant run-making and Kuldeep Yadav picked up 4/39 as India outclassed New Zealand in all departments to win by eight wickets and with 85 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series in Napier on Wednesday. The action on the field mirrored the set pattern of India’s recent dominance but the match at McLean Park will be remembered for the status, “Play halted due to sun.” Napier was witness to a strange development in which play was halted for over 30 minutes due to the sun shining directly in the eyes of the batsman. In most cricket grounds where the alignment is North-South, the East-West alignment at Napier resulted in a strange problem and it was big enough to ensure one over was deducted.

Apart from the break due to sunshine, it was darkness all around for New Zealand who was simply blown away by an Indian cricket team on top of their game. Kane Williamson won the toss and had no hesitation in batting but any chances of a positive start in the powerplay evaporated when Mohammed Shami sent back Martin Guptill (5) and Colin Munro (8). Guptill’s wicket gave Shami his 100^th ODI wicket and India had made a great start.

Ross Taylor, who had hit six consecutive 50+ scores in ODIs prior to the game in Napier, looked in decent touch as he stitched a solid stand with Williamson. However, on 24, Taylor’s attempt at creating a record was dented when he chipped a return catch to Yuzvendra Chahal. Following Taylor’s dismissal, most of the New Zealand batsmen came in but did not capitalise, leaving Williamson the last man standing. Tom Latham (11) gave a return catch to Chahal while Henry Nicholls (12) fell to an outstanding catch from Kuldeep Yadav diving to his right at midwicket.

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Williamson waged a lone battle by hitting his 36^th fifty but there was no support from the other end. When he holed out to long on off Kuldeep for 64, the rest of the lower order folded up meekly to Kuldeep. He picked up 4/39 and New Zealand was bundled out for 157.

Rohit Sharma and Dhawan got going and laid a solid base but following the dinner break, Rohit (11) edged Doug Bracewell to slip and then there was the dramatic break for sunshine. Dhawan had complained that the sun was getting directly in his eyes and the umpires stopped play. This was a continuation of Napier’s problems, with the ground being criticised for a poor drainage during the abandoned game between New Zealand and Australia in 2017.

Following the resumption in which the revised target was 156, Dhawan top-edged a pull from Doug Bracewell only for Tom Latham the keeper to spill the chance. Along the way, Dhawan also became the second-fastest Indian player to get to 5000 ODI runs. Kohli got off in sublime fashion and both batsmen played confident strokes and Dhawan reached his 26^th fifty. Kohli was looking good for yet another fifty but he top-edged a short ball off Ferguson to miss out on his milestone.

Dhawan held firm and guided India to their first win in New Zealand in over 10 years and for the Blackcaps, the momentum that they built before the series has ended with this loss in Napier.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Shikhar Dhawan went past 5000 ODI runs.
• Dhawan hit a fifty after nine ODI innings.
• Play in Napier was suspended due to sun.