India beat New Zealand by four runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the India New Zealand second ODI in Wellington on Saturday, surviving a batting collapse and the rain to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
In the India New Zealand second ODI, New Zealand were bowled out for 134 in 41 overs after the match was reduced to 47 overs a side. Chasing 135, India reached 113 for seven in 26 overs when rain ended play, four runs ahead of the DLS par score of 109. The match was called off, handing the visitors a four-run win.
Gurnoor Brar took career-best ODI figures of four for 30 and was named player of the match. It followed his three-wicket haul in the Auckland opener, and the 2-0 lead leaves India one win from wrapping up the series before the third match in Hamilton on Tuesday.
India New Zealand second ODI: Brar and the seamers set it up
India’s seam bowlers thrived in helpful conditions again. Put in to bat, New Zealand struggled for momentum on a pitch with unpredictable bounce, and no home batter other than Daryl Mitchell and captain Mitchell Santner reached double figures.
Mitchell made a watchful 55 and Santner added 31, but the rest folded against tight seam bowling. Brar made the key double strike in the 20th over, removing Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips cheaply to leave New Zealand 53 for five. Anshul Kamboj took two for 25, and Auqib Nabi claimed his first two international wickets, removing openers Will Young and Tim Seifert to finish with two for 31.
“Bowling here in New Zealand, for me, the bounce and the pace really helps, I’m really enjoying it,” Brar said. “In India, the pitches are a bit flat. Here, that extra bounce is there. I was just bowling to my strengths and it worked.”
Santner praised the Indian attack after the match. “They bowled really well, especially at the top,” he said. “Obviously losing wickets at the start is never ideal and, with the weather around it was always going to be tough at the start and they exploited it well.”
Rahul holds a shaky chase together
India were never comfortable in the chase. New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy dismissed captain Shubman Gill for a golden duck and Virat Kohli for seven, and Kyle Jamieson made the key breakthrough by removing top scorer Shreyas Iyer for 30, leaving India teetering at 86 for five.
KL Rahul, unbeaten on 26, held the innings together. He was at the crease with Nabi on one when the rain returned, four runs in front of the par score.
DLS sets a par score from runs scored, wickets lost and overs left when rain stops play. A team ahead of par when play is abandoned wins by that margin, so India took the match by four runs despite being 22 short of 135.
A series India are closing out
India won the rain-hit opener in Auckland by five wickets on Wednesday, when New Zealand were bowled out for 185. The first ODI followed the same pattern as the second: the seamers did the damage and the chase was never simple. In both matches, New Zealand’s batters have not handled the bounce and movement, and India’s pace attack has set up both wins.
The third match in Hamilton on Tuesday gives New Zealand a chance to stay in the series, but they must fix a batting line-up bowled out for 185 and 134 in two games. For India, the concern is the top order: Gill’s golden duck and Kohli’s seven followed a shaky chase in Auckland, and Rahul has twice had to rescue the innings.
Elsewhere in Test cricket this week, Mohammad Abbas is chasing a maiden home five-wicket haul as Pakistan prepare for Sri Lanka, while Mohammed Shami announced his retirement from the format and Usman Khawaja said the whole Australian team knew about the 2018 ball-tampering plot. In Wellington, though, the day belonged to Brar and the seamers, and to a rain calculation that fell four runs in India’s favour.
Frequently asked questions
How did India win the second ODI against New Zealand?
Rain ended play with India on 113 for seven, four runs ahead of the DLS par score of 109.
Who was the player of the match?
Gurnoor Brar, who took career-best ODI figures of four for 30 as New Zealand were bowled out for 134.
What is the series score after the second ODI?
India lead the five-match series 2-0. The third match is in Hamilton on Tuesday.
Who top-scored for each side?
Daryl Mitchell made 55 for New Zealand, while Shreyas Iyer top-scored for India with 30. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 26.
