Zee Media Bureau/Chaitan Papnai
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Over 49.4 || Score 216
With the wicket of Varun Aaron India's poor run in ODI continues as they also lost the fifth and final match of the series by 87 runs to New Zealand. While chasing a formidable total of 303, India lost wickets at regular intervals and apart from Kohi and Dhoni no other Indian batsman managed to play the useful knock. For the hosts débutante Matt Henry was certainly the pick among the bowlers, as he got four wickets at the cost of 48 runs in his ten over quota.
VR Aaron b Neesham 0 (1b)
B Kumar c Ronchi b Henry 20 (25b)
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Over 45 || Score 186/8
Dhoni Out. With the fall of Dhoni's wicket, India's hope to win the last ODI match of the series also got dashed. With no other option left, Dhoni, tried to launch Williamson for a six, but failed to connect it well, and gave a simple catch to long off fielder. NZ bowlers have bowled in right channels throughout the innings and forced Indian batsmen to go for big shots. And that's where they got the better of Indian batting line up.
MS Dhoni c Neesham b Williamson 47 (72b )
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Over 42 || Score 174/7
Jadeja followed Ashwin to the pavilion. Jadeja who came in after the fall of Ashwin's wicket got out in the next over while smashing Mills for a maximum. Now India is on the verge of losing its fourth match of the series.
RA Jadeja c & b Mills 5 (6b)
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Over 41|| Score 170/6
Aswhin Out. Kane Williamson gave his team the sixth breakthrough of the match in the form of Ashwin. Williamson fuller length ball dislodged the stumps of Ashwin, who got out after scoring seven runs.
R Ashwin b Williamson 7 (11b )
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Over 40|| Score 166/5
Last ten overs have left in the match and it still can be anyone's game. Though NZ has an upper hand in the match as India need 138 runs runs off 60 balls but Dhoni and Ashwin are at the crease and Jadeja too is waiting in the dressing room for his turn. So the match can still turn anyway.
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Over 37 || Score 145/5
Big blow for India as Kohli got out. Kohli tried to clear the long-on fence but failed to punch it well and gave a simple catch to the fielder patrolling the boundary. Kohli got out after scoring 81 runs in mere 78 balls, with the help of seven fours and three sixes. Ashwin is the next batsman in for India. India is now in serious trouble.
V Kohli c sub b NL McCullum 82 (78b)
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Over 35 || Score 141/4
In the 33rd over Dhoni and Kohli completed 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Where Dhoni is dealing in singles, Kholi has started scoring boundaries at regular intervals. Batting Powerplay. In the first over of the powerplay Kohli launched McClenaghan for a six over mid-wicket. India should try and score maximum runs in the powerplay, without losing any wicket, then only they can think of chasing a target of 303, successfully.
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Over 30 || Score 108/4
Kohli and Dhoni are still at the crease. In the 29th over Kohli completed his fifty in style by collected a boundary off Neesham. And then in the very next ball he launched the bowler for a maximum. Meanwhile, India also crossed the mark of 100 runs in the same over. Kohli has started opening up now and hitting boundaries at will. NZ skipper is quite aware of this fact that if these two stick to the wicket till the end they can certainly change the fortunes of the game.
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Over 25 || Score 79/4
Another Indian batsman bite the dust, as India lost their fourth wicket while chasing the total of 303 runs. Rayudu who had a good chance to proved his prowess, failed to rise to the occasion and got out when he tried a big shot off Henry. It's the third wicket for Henry. Rayudu scored 20 before throwing his wicket. Indian skipper has come to the crease after the fall of Rayudu's wicket. Now the onus is on Kohli and Dhoni to take India through.
AT Rayudu c Williamson b Henry 20 (40b)
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Over 20 || Score 58/3
Kohli is looking good at the moment and playing intelligent cricket. He is collecting boundaries on loose delivers and ticking singles and doubles at the same time. So far he has scored four boundaries. Meanwhile, Nathan McCullum has been introduced into the attack for the first time, in the 19th over. In the same over India crossed the mark of 50 runs. Rayudu has a good chance to impress the selectors by paying a match-winning knock today.
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Over 15 || Score 34/3
India is in deep trouble as they lost Ajinkya Rahane as well. Rahane tried to play the cross bat shot against Henry but failed competently to pick the line and length of the ball and got trapped in front of the wicket. Rayudu has come to join Kohli in the middle after the fall of third Indian wicket. NZ bowlers have done an excellent job till now. And if India need to win this game from here on Kohli has to play a major role with the bat.
AM Rahane lbw b Henry 2 (10b)
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Over 10 || Score 20/2
India's first boundary came in the 6th over from the bat of Dhawan, when he flicked McClenaghan through mid-wicket. Débutante Matt Henry has been introduced in the 8th over as the first bowling change. And Kohli welcomed the bowler at international level by scoring a boundary off his third ball. Dhawan flopped again. And mind you Matt Henry was the wicket-taker. Henry pitched the ball at perfect length which took the outside edge of Dhawan's bat and slip fielder took a sharp catch. Ajinkya Rahane is the next man in after the fall of second Indian wicket. First ten overs certainly belonged to the hosts.
S Dhawan c NL McCullum b Henry 9 (28b )
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Over 5 || Score 8/1
Rohit Out.Once again the opening pair of Shikhar-Rohit has failed to give India a solid start while chasing a formidable total 303 runs. Both the openers were playing cautiously but all of a sudden Rohit tried to cut the ball over slips cordon off Mills but gave a straight catch to Taylor, standing at first slip. Kohli has come to the crease after the fall of first Indian wicket.
RG Sharma c Taylor b Mills 4 (13b )
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Over 2 || Score 3/0
Kyle Mills is right on the money form the very first over as he bowled a maiden first up. Mitchell McClenaghan is sharing the new ball with Mills. Meanwhile, India opened their account with a single in the second over, which came from the bat of Dhawan. Three runs came from the over.
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Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are in the middle to open the Indian innings, whereas, Kyle Mills will start the bowling proceedings for the hosts.
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Over 50 || Score 303/5
Ronchi and Neesham did well in the last two overs to score some quick runs. Shami leaked 17 runs in the last over which helped the hosts to take there score above 300 runs. But the highlight of NZ batting is certainly Ross Tayor, who scored yet another hundred and helped his team to put up a formidable total on the board while batting first.
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Over 48 || Score 274/5
Ross Taylor scored his 10th ODI century in style by smashing Shami for four through mid-wicket area. It's his second consecutive ton, what a form he has been in. Ross Out. In the very next ball after completing his hundred, Taylor tried to launch the bowler for a maximum but fell short, as Dhawan took a wonderful catch at the mid-wicket boundary.
LRPL Taylor c Dhawan b Mohammed Shami 102 (106b)
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Over 46 || Score 255/4
Indian seamers are giving hardly any room to NZ batsmen to free there arms. In fact set batsmen Taylor is also finding it difficult to score boundaries at will. Now last four overs have left in the innings. From here on the hosts will try to score at least 280 form here on.
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Over 44 || Score 243/4
McCullum Out. NZ skipper came down the line to smash Kohli out of the park but didn't get much of a room and gave a straight catch to Rohit Sharma at covers. He got out after scoring 23 runs. But another dangerous batsman Taylor is still at the crease. Neesham has come to join him in the middle after the fall of fourth NZ wicket.
BB McCullum c Sharma b Kohli 23 (18b)
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Over 43 || Score 230/3
Surprisingly, India has been comparatively bowling well at the moment. They are not giving easy boundaries to Kiwis. Meanwhile, in the 39th over NZ crossed the mark of 200 runs. McCullum can be dangerous batsman at this point of time for India, so they have to get his wicket as soon as possible. From here on the hosts must be eyeing for a score around 300 plus as Taylor is well set at the crease.
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Over 38 || Score 195/3
Kane Out. After playing another useful knock for his team, when Kane Williamson tried to slap Aaron over point region, Ajinkya Rahane took a sharp catch to end his 88-run knock. It's a second wicket for erratic Aaron. After the fall of third NZ wicket skipper Brendon McCullum has come to the middle to join Taylor.
KS Williamson c Rahane b Aaron 88 (91b)
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Over 35 || Score 170/2
Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor have become the backbone of New Zealand batting line up, as far as this series is concerned. Most importantly, their batting order suits their style of play the best. Both play seamers and spinners equally well. Now they have started opening up and are looking for big shots. Indian bowlers are once again looking clue less in front of these two.
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Over 30 || Score 139/2
Indian seamers started off well when Dhoni won the toss and elected to field first. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami bowled at a good line and length and gave no easy runs in the first five overs. And in the 8th over India got their first breakthrough in the form of Ryder, who gave his wicket to Bhuvi. Then after a gap of four overs the other opener was also shown the pavilion way by Varun Aaron. But from there on Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson have once again come to the rescue. Both are still at the crease, have completed their respective fifties and added more than hundred runs for the third wicket.
MJ Guptill c Mohammed Shami b Aaron 16 (35b)
JD Ryder c Rahane b Kumar 17 (26b)
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Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl first against New Zealand in the fifth and final one-dayer.
Where India has made one change, bringing in Shikhar Dhawan in place of Stuart Binny, the hosts went for two changes. The Black Caps rested Tim Southee and Hamish Bennett, while bringing Mitchell McClenaghan and Matt Henry.
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Wellington: Dhoni has certainly been outfoxed by the Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum in this series. In fact, New Zealand have outplayed India in all the departments in the series. After losing the first two ODIs, Ravindra Jadeja`s heroics helped India to tie the third match. Many arm-chair critics had predicted that India might level the series after that tie, as the team gained the much needed momentum.
However, nothing of that sort happened and riding on Ross Taylor`s excellent hundred, the hosts comprehensively won the fourth ODI by seven wickets, and thus clinched the series as well by taking an unassailable lead of 3-0.
Now in the fifth and final ODI of the series, India will look for a consolation win, which might give them the much-needed boost to enter the two-match Test series with a positive frame of mind.
In the final ODI today if Dhoni & Co have to register a win against the Kiwis, they have to come out with all guns blazing. On the other end NZ will also look to end the ODI series on a winning note.
