Christchurch: Finn Allen and Devon Conway had a 97-run opening stand to get New Zealand’s chase of 220 against India start on a bright note. Pacer Umran Malik broke it by taking out Allen, but rain forced the third and final ODI between India and New Zealand at Hagley Oval on Wednesday to be called off.
When rain arrived, New Zealand were at 104/1 in 18 overs and DLS calculations showed that they were ahead by 50 runs. But to constitute a full match, 20 overs were needed to be completed in the second innings. But with rain washing out the prospect of playing out remaining two overs for a result, New Zealand clinched the series 1-0.
In this tour, three out of six matches were washed out due to rain, and one ended in a tie because of rain. Only two matches were played in full, one in T20Is and other one being ODI series opener. India won the T20I series by the same scoreline as New Zealand clinched the ODI series.
In chasing 220, Allen and Conway started cautiously, adding only 34 in the first eight overs as Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep Singh kept them in check. Allen, though, was the more aggressive of the two, getting some boundaries as Conway took time to find his groove.
Conway then single-handedly upped the ante in the 10th over when he struck four boundaries off Chahar — with a straight drive being the pick of the shots. Allen also teed off when he used Umran Malik’s pace in the next over to hit back-to-back boundaries.
On a pitch, where there was a lot of grass and lateral movement, and with overcast conditions, India’s innings never really got going, till Sundar stood up and applied himself to hit five fours and a six in a 64-ball knock to take the visitors past 200-mark.
Apart from him, Shreyas Iyer also played a handy knock of 49 as rest of the batters struggled and perished to a disciplined bowling show by New Zealand. For the hosts, Daryl Mitchell being used as the fifth bowler was a master-stroke, picking 3/25 in his seven overs.
