New Delhi. After defeating the weak teams of Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium, the Indian team’s true colours were exposed when it faced a strong team for the first time in the Champions Trophy.
While the Indian team had two fast bowlers and four spin bowling options, New Zealand came with three fast bowlers and three spin bowling options. After winning the toss and deciding to bowl first, New Zealand used the slower balls on the slow pitch so well that the Indian team could score only 249 runs for nine wickets in 50 overs. In reply, the Kiwi team was all out for 205 runs. India won this match by 44 runs.
Due to the failure of Shubman Gill (2), Rohit Sharma (15) and Virat Kohli (11), who was playing his 300th ODI, India lost three wickets for just 30 runs. Shreyas Iyer scored 79 and Hardik Pandya finally scored 45 runs to steady the Indian team but it was not enough. New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry took five wickets for 42 runs in just eight overs in which his fielders gave excellent support.
Especially Phillips caught Virat and Williamson caught Akshar and Jadeja very well. ILT-20 matches have been played in Dubai and that is why the pitches here have become slow. The ball was coming with a hitch and the Indian top order kept getting stuck in it. After three wickets fell early, Iyer along with Akshar Patel (42) took charge of the team by making a partnership of 98 runs for the fourth wicket.
The team completed its century in the 25th over. Iyer completed his slowest half-century in 75 balls by taking a run off Rachin Ravindra’s ball. Akshar hit a brilliant six off Bracewell’s ball but failed to adjust to Rachin’s high-bounce ball and the ball took the top edge of his bat and went into Williamson’s hands. Iyer also shared a 44-run partnership with Lokesh Rahul but once again Rahul could not play a big innings.
It is still not clear what Rahul’s role is in the team because even while wicketkeeping he missed an easy ball which resulted in a four. The umpire may have given it wide but in the replay it was
It was clearly visible that Kuldeep’s ball had touched Tom Latham’s bat. This was Latham’s first ball. If he had got out here, there would have been pressure on New Zealand.
At the end of India’s innings, Pandya hit a six to bring the team close to 200 runs. Pandya scored 15 runs in the 49th over against Jamieson by hitting two fours and a six on consecutive balls. However, on some occasions he did not take one or two runs. If he had trusted Shami a little, the score would have reached around 260. Henry completed his five wickets by dismissing Shami on the last ball of the innings.
Ravindra Jadeja gave the first blow to New Zealand chasing the target of 250 runs. He took the wicket of Rachin Ravindra (6) on the last ball of the fourth over. Varun Chakravarthy, playing his first match in this tournament, bowled Will Young (22). In the 26th over, Kuldeep Yadav trapped Daryl Mitchell in his trap. Mitchell faced 35 balls and scored 17 runs. After this, Jadeja dismissed Tom Latham (14) LBW.
In the 36th over, Varun Chakravarthy got Glenn Phillips out LBW and brought India back into the match. In his next over, Varun got Michael Bracewell out LBW and put New Zealand on the backfoot.
