Picture : Twitter/ BLACK CAPS
Unfazed by the big total set by India, Tom Latham blasted a hundred and Kane Williamson narrowly missed one as New Zealand cruised past India by seven wickets in the first One-Day International, in Auckland.
Latham stroked a magnificent 145 off 104 balls, while Williamson was content playing second fiddle before finishing with 94 off 98.
The duo put on an unbroken stand of 221 runs to take the Kiwis past the tourists’ total off 306 for 7 in 47.1 overs.
Earlier, Shreyas Iyer scored a 76-ball 80 and Washington Sundar hit a 16-ball 37 to guide India to a competitive total, which also had useful contributions from Shikhar Dhawan (72 off 77) and Shubman Gill (50 off 65).
On the Eden Park ground where a 300-plus total was chased just once, India fancied their chances after posting 306 and then having the New Zealanders reeling at 88 for 3 in the 20th over.
However, the hosts had the last laugh, attaining the target with 17 balls to spare, thanks to Latham’s unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 221-runs.
At the end of the 39th over, New Zealand needed 91 off 66 balls at nearly 8.30 runs an over, but by the time Shardul Thakur (1/63) completed a forgettable 40th over, they were in control after Latham amassed 25 runs with the help of four fours and a six.
Tearaway pacer Umran Malik (2/66) made his presence felt on debut with his thunderbolts after an impressive show by the Indian batters, though the youngster from Jammu proved expensive.
Earlier, Shreyas Iyer put behind the ignominy of a first-ball duck in his previous outing with a classy half-century before Washington Sundar blazed away to a 16-ball 37 to guide India to a competitive 306 for 7.
Besides Iyer’s 76-ball 80, Shikhar Dhawan (72 off 77 balls) and Shubman Gill (50 off 65) also scored fluent fifties after the tourists were sent in to bat.
