KL Rahul struck a combative 112 but New Zealand completed a 3-0 whitewash of India by winning the third ODI by five wickets, here on Tuesday.

Rahul helped India recover from a shaky start to post a challenging 296 for 7 but the Kiwis overhauled the target with 17 balls to spare.

This is first whitewash that India has suffered in an ODI series in more than a decade.

Sent in to bat, India were down 62 for 3 in the 13th over after the dismissals of Mayank Agarwal (1), captain Virat Kohli (9) and Prithvi Shaw (40) but Rahul got a useful ally in in-form Shreyas Iyer (62) to take India to a competitive total.

Rahul, who hit nine fours and two sixes during his 113-ball innings, and Iyer stitched exactly 100 runs from 18.2 overs for the fourth wicket to revive the Indian innings.

After the end of the promising innings of Iyer, Rahul shared another 107 runs for the fifth wicket with Manish Pandey (42).

The Kiwis were off to a confident start in their chase with Martin Guptill (66) and Henry Nicholls (80) and putting on a 106-run stand. However, wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took three wickets to bring India back in the game.

Colin de Grandhomme (58) and Tom Latham (32), though, took their side past the finish line with an unbeaten 80-run partnership.

Rahul made 112 runs (from 113 balls), including nine fours and two sixes, as he rescued India from 62/3 in the 13th over after being sent in to bat.

He put on 100 runs with Shreyas Iyer (62 off 63 balls) for the fourth wicket, and later on another 107 runs with Manish Pandey (42 off 48 balls) for the fifth wicket.

For New Zealand, who have already clinched the series after winning the first two matches, Hamish Bennett finished with 4/64 from ten overs to emerge as the most successful bowler.

The home made two changes, with captain Kane Williamson returning from injury. Spinner Mitchell Santner came in for Tom Blundell. India made one change with Manish Pandey included ahead of Kedar Jadhav.

India made another poor start. Kyle Jamieson (1/53) bowled opener Mayank Agarwal (1), who has suffered a torrid tour of New Zealand thus far. The big blow came when captain Virat Kohli (9) was out, caught at third man in the seventh over.

The other opener Prithvi Shaw provided the initial flourish with 40 off 42 balls, including three fours and two sixes. But, he was run-out going for a suicidal second run in the 13th over.

Iyer and Rahul then took charge of the proceedings, and anchored the Indian innings. The former batted steadily and reached his half century off 52 balls, his third 50-plus score in this series.

But Iyer could not carry on as he was caught off Jimmy Neesham (1/50) as the ball looped up, for a soft dismissal.

It was down to Rahul then, who crossed 50 off 66 balls. His partnership with Pandey progressed well as India reached 250 in the 45th over.

Rahul’s hundred came off 104 balls, and he perished in a bid to accelerate thereafter. This is where India’s innings fell apart, as Pandey also holed out off Bennett shortly afterwards.

India lost three wickets for 27 runs in the death overs and could not reach 300 despite the middle-order flourish.

Brief Scores:

India: 296 for 7 in 50 overs (KL Rahul 112, Shreyas Iyer 62; Hamish Bennett 4/64).

New Zealand: 300 for 5 in 47.1 overs. (H Nicholls 80, M Guptill 66; Y Chahal 3/47).

Related Topics