IND vs NZ 2022, 1st ODI: Who won today’s India vs New Zealand match?

New Zealand beat India by seven wickets in today’s (November 25) ODI at Eden Park in Auckland to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Sent in to bat after losing the toss, India posted a challenging 306/7 courtesy of good knocks from Shreyas Iyer (80 off 76) and Shikhar Dhawan (72 off 77).

In reply, Tom Latham stuck a superb 145* off only 104 balls, smashing 19 fours and five sixes in a thoroughly dominating display. Latham and skipper Kane Williamson (94* off 98) featured in an unbroken 221-run stand for the fourth wicket as the hosts cruised to a commanding victory in 47.1 overs.

The duo joined forces in the 20th over with New Zealand in some trouble. Williamson showed some intent immediately after the halfway stage of the innings, launching Washington Sundar down the ground for a maximum. Latham and Williamson struck a few more fours in quick succession as the hosts reached 150/3 after 30 overs.

While Williamson picked up his scoring rate after a slow start, Latham eased his way to a half-century off 51 balls. The latter kept finding the boundaries, even slapping a length ball from Arshdeep Singh for a maximum deep-backward square leg.

With 91 needed off 11 overs, Latham launched into Shardul Thakur, clobbering the medium pacer for one six and four boundaries. A single off the last ball of the over, which went for 25, brought up Latham’s century off only 76 balls. The big over completely shifted the momentum New Zealand’s way.

Earlier, Kiwi opener Finn Allen looked in good touch and struck two fours and six in the first five overs. He had some luck too as Yuzvendra Chahal dropped a sitter at short midwicket off Thakur’s bowling. However, the bowler had his man in the same over, the eighth of the innings, as Allen (22 off 25) poked at one outside off and was caught behind.

Devon Conway and skipper Williamson looked to steady the innings for the Kiwis. However, debutant Umran Malik struck to put New Zealand on the back foot. He dismissed Conway for 24 off 42 as the left-hander flashed at a full and wide delivery outside the off stump and edged the ball to the keeper.

Umran’s debut got even better as he dismissed Daryl Mitchell for 11. The New Zealand batter slashed at a shortish delivery outside off, only to be caught at deep backward point off the outside edge. At 88/3, the match was evenly balanced before Latham took the bull by the horns.

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Shreyas and Dhawan's fifties lift Team India to 306/7

Dhawan and Shubman Gill (50 off 65) featured in a 124-run opening stand to set a solid foundation for the visitors. They got off to a sedate start but picked up the pace as the innings went along. Team India captain Dhawan struck 13 fours in his knock, while Gill’s half-century featured one four and three sixes.

The openers, however, fell within the space of a few deliveries as New Zealand launched a comeback. Gill was caught at deep square leg off Lockie Ferguson (3/59), while Dhawan sliced Tim Southee (3/73) to backward point.

Ferguson then dealt Team India a double blow in the 33rd over. First, Rishabh Pant (15) dragged a pull onto his stumps after which Suryakumar Yadav (four) edged a length delivery to slip. Shreyas, however, ensured the Men in Blue finished with a competitive total, playing a well-compiled knock.

He struck four fours and as many sixes and ran hard between the wickets. Shreyas and Sanju Samson (36 off 38) added a significant 94 runs for the fifth wicket to give the Indian innings a lift. The stand came to an end when Samson perished to Adam Milne, miscuing a heave of the fast bowler.

Sundar (37* off 16) then played an excellent cameo, proving his worth with the willow. He took on Matt Henry in the penultimate over and smashed him for 4, 4, and 6 off consecutive deliveries. In all, Sundar struck three fours and as many sixes.

Shreyas’ brilliant innings came to an end in the last over when he pulled Southee to midwicket. However, he ensured Team India crossed the 300-run mark. In the wake of Latham’s brilliance, though, the total proved inadequate.

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India vs New Zealand 2022: Who was Player of the Match in 1st ODI?

Shreyas played an impressive knock for India, controlling the innings in the middle overs. Skipper Dhawan scored a handy 72. Sundar followed up his cameo with an economical spell (0/42).

For New Zealand, Ferguson impressed with figures of 3/59. Latham was sensational in the chase, not allowing India’s bowlers to settle down. Williamson played a captain’s knock of 94*.

Latham was the easy choice for Player of the Match for his splendid hundred.