cricket

Updated: Jan 27, 2019 08:22 IST

India beat New Zealand by 90 runs in their second ODI at the Bay Oval on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The Black Caps’ chase of 325 runs never got going as they kept losing at regular wickets.

Kuldeep Yadav, who was the Player of the Match in the first ODI in Napier for his four-wicket haul again ended with four wickets from his 10 overs that went for 45 runs. The chinaman spinner was on a hat-trick with back-to-back wickets of Henry Nicholls and Ish Sodhi but was denied the landmark by Lockie Ferguson.

Doug Bracewell provided some late resistance with his 46-ball 57 runs but none of the other stuck around long enough to trouble Virat Kohli’s men.

In the first innings, Rohit Sharma (87) missed out on a chance to hit his first one-day hundred in New Zealand but India still managed a challenging 324 for 4 with all the batsmen coming good.

Shikhar Dhawan (66) also struck a half century while captain Virat Kohli (43), Ambati Rayudu (47) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (48 not out) chipped in with significant scores as the vaunted Indian batsmen dominated the home bowlers after the visitors opted to bat.

Rohit and Dhawan gave India a flying start with a 154-run opening stand from 25.2 overs during which the New Zealand bowlers were hit all over the park.

Kohli was in his imperious touch as long as he was at the crease before he became Boult’s second victim in the 40th over.

India were 238 for 3 at the end of the 40th over and then Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav (22 not out) added 86 runs in the final 10 overs to post a challenging total.

Dhoni hit five boundaries and one six in his 33-ball unbeaten knock.

India will look to wrap up the series in the third ODI in Mount Maunangui on 28 January.

With agency inputs