India D(hon)isappoint hosts, (Ki)win series

India made a couple of changes to their playing (Pat)eleven – Sachin Tendulkar and Munaf made way for the Sharmas. Rohit and Ishant.

New Zealand made three changes to their playing (Pat)eleven – Ian Butler, Tim Southee and Jeetan made way for Daniel Vettori (who was leading the team, and chose to bat on winning the toss), One-day International debutant Ewen Thompson – who, incidentally, never played international cricket again – and Iain O’Brien.

The second Powerplay of New Zealand’s innings was between the 10^th and the 15^th over. Their openers put on 50 off 10.3 overs (67 balls). Extras’ contribution to the partnership was five. While Jesse Ryder’s contribution to the partnership was 31, Brendon McCullum’s contribution to it was 17.

Sixteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. New Zealand had scored 89 without the loss of a wicket at that point. While Ryder was batting on 38, McCullum was batting on 43.

New Zealand scored 100 off 18 overs (115 balls). India had conceded eight extras at that point. While Ryder’s contribution to the partnership was 45, McCullum’s contribution to it was 48.

Ryder, whose 57-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries, eventually scored 46. A hundred and fifteen legal balls into the match, he was caught by Suresh Raina. Yuvraj Singh broke the 102-run partnership.

McCullum’s half-century – which included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six – came off 66 balls. Ross Taylor, who faced 13 balls, scored five. Twenty-two balls after Ryder’s dismissal, he was caught by Rohit. Yusuf Pathan broke the 12-run stand.

New Zealand scored 150 off 32.3 overs (202 balls). India had conceded eight extras at that point. The third Powerplay of New Zealand’s innings was between the 34^th and the 38^th over.

McCullum, whose 95-ball innings included seven boundaries and a couple of sixes, eventually scored 77. Sixty-five balls after Taylor’s dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Zaheer Khan, who broke the 41-run stand.

Jacob Oram, whose faced a couple of balls, scored a run. Three balls later, he was caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s skipper. Ishant broke the one-run stand.

Thirty-six overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. New Zealand had scored 169 for the loss of four wickets at that point. While Martin Guptill was batting on 24, the number of runs Peter McGlashan had scored at that point gave him no reason to be in seventh heaven.

Guptill, who faced 49 balls, eventually scored 25. Sixteen balls after Oram’s dismissal, he was caught by the substitute, Dinesh Karthik. Ishant broke the 19-run stand.

New Zealand scored 200 off 40.3 overs (251 balls). India had conceded 15 extras at that point.

There were two interruptions due to rain. The first of these was 41.3 overs into the match. New Zealand had scored 209 for the loss of five wickets at that point. While McGlashan was batting on 28, Grant Elliott was batting on a dozen.

The second was 43.2 overs into it. New Zealand had scored 223 for the loss of five wickets at that point. While McGlashan was batting on 34. Elliott was batting on 15. As a result, the match was reduced to a 47-overs-a-side match.

The sixth-wicket pair put on 50 off 43 balls. While McGlashan’s contribution to the partnership was 22, the contributions of both Elliott and extras was 15 apiece. McGlashan’s half-century – which included five boundaries and a six – came off 38 balls.

New Zealand scored 250 off 45.4 overs (285 balls). India had conceded 25 extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

McGlashan, whose 42-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six, eventually scored 56. He was unbeaten, as was Elliott, who scored 35. His 27-ball innings included three boundaries and a six.

New Zealand scored 270 for the loss of five wickets off 47 overs. Harbhajan Singh, who bowled eight overs, conceded 50. He was wicketless, as was Praveen Kumar, who bowled seven overs, conceding 51.

Pathan, who bowled five overs, conceded 14. He picked up a wicket. Yuvraj, who bowled nine overs, conceded 40. He picked up a wicket. Khan, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 49. He picked up a wicket. Ishant, who bowled eight overs, conceded 57. He picked up a couple of scalps.

India’s target was revised to 281 off 47 overs. India’s openers scored 50 off 7.2 overs (45 balls). New Zealand had conceded three extras at that point. While Gautam Gambhir’s contribution to the partnership was 15, the contribution of Virender Sehwag, the player of the match, to it was 35.

Sehwag’s half-century – which included eight boundaries and a six – came off 31 balls. Ten overs into the chase, there was an interruption due to rain. India had scored 83 without the loss of a wicket at that point. While Gambhir was batting on 28, Sehwag was batting on 51.

Four overs were lost, and India’s target was reduced to 263 off 43 overs. The second Powerplay of India’s innings was between the 11^th and the 15^th over.

India scored 100 off 11.3 overs (70 balls), New Zealand had conceded four extras at that point. While Gambhir’s contribution to the partnership was 33, Sehwag’s contribution to it was 63.

The batting Powerplay of India’s innings was reduced to four overs. India scored 150 off 17.4 overs (109 balls), The number of extras New Zealand had conceded at that point gave them no reason to be in seventh heaven. While Gambhir’s contribution to the partnership was 49, Sehwag’s contribution to it was 96.

While Gambhir’s half-century – which included five boundaries – came off 52 balls, Sehwag’s ton – which included 13 boundaries and four sixes – came off 60 balls.

A hundred and sixteen balls into the chase, there was another interruption due to rain. India had scored 169 without the loss of a wicket at that point. While Gambhir was batting on 50, Sehwag was batting 108.

Seven overs were lost, and India’s target was reduced to 220 off 36 overs. India scored 200 off 23.2 overs (144 balls). New Zealand had conceded 13 extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded. While Gambhir’s contribution to the partnership was 63, Sehwag’s contribution to it was 124.

A hundred and forty-one legal balls into the chase, there was another interruption due to rain. India had scored 201 without the loss of a wicket at that point. While Gambhir was batting on 63, Sehwag was batting on 125. Those were their eventual scores.

Three overs were lost, and India’s target was reduced to 197. But as they had already achieved this target, India won the match by 84 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Elliott bowled two wicketless overs, conceding nine. O’Brien bowled three wicketless overs, conceding 37. Thompson bowled four wicketless overs, conceding 42.

Oram bowled 4.3 wicketless overs, conceding 43. Vettori and Mills bowled five wicketless overs apiece. While the former conceded 32, the latter conceded 29.

India led the five-match series 3-0. In fact, they won the series with a match to spare.