India vs New Zealand: 5 memorable clashes
Before the India vs New Zealand ODI series begins in Mumbai on Sunday, Hindustan Times takes a look at the five memorable clashes between the two sides in 50 overs cricket.
While the rivalry is not on par with India vs Pakistan, India and New Zealand have played out some exciting contests. Ahead of the three-match one-day series, Hindustan Times takes a look at some memorable matches between the two sides:
1985-86 Commonwealth Bank series, Perth
When the New Zealand pace bowlers bundled out the Indian batting for just 113 runs, their supporters would have expected the Commonwealth Bank series game played at Perth to be a cakewalk for the Kiwis. However, Kapil Dev produced one of the most incisive spells of his career to make the New Zealanders struggle for every run. At the peak of his prowess, Kapil exploited the pace friendly conditions to run through the Kiwi middle-order, giving away just 23 runs in 10 overs while picking up three wickets. In a nervous chase, the New Zealanders lost seven wickets as they crawled their way past the modest target after seeing through Kapil’s spell.
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1999, 2nd ODI, Hyderabad
Having stunned India in the opening game of the series, the New Zealand bowlers felt the full force of the might of the Indian batting in this game played at Hyderabad. The game is famous for the batting treat dished out by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. The two led the assault on the Kiwi bowlers with captain Tendulkar hammering an unbeaten 186 (150 balls) and Dravid smashing 153 off 153 balls to help India amass 376 for two. The shell-chocked New Zealanders folded up for 202 in 33.1 overs to hand India a massive victory.
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2000 ICC Knockout final, Nairobi
The 2000 ICC Knockout tournament final is probably New Zealand cricket’s finest moment. Having always played the bridesmaid, it was one final where New Zealand played to their potential and tasted success, albeit at the expense of the Indian team. Chris Cairns was the star of the final, leading the New Zealand chase to victory with an unbeaten 102. India frittered away a great start of 141 given by Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar to finish with 264 for six, which New Zealand overhauled with four wickets to spare.
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2003 series, 6th ODI at Auckland
It was the sixth match of the seven-game one-day series in which the India batsmen had struggled to cope with the pace-friendly conditions in New Zealand. India did well to restrict the home side to 199 for nine, and then Virender Sehwag took the battle to the Kiwi bowlers. However, once Sehwag fell with the score at 182, the fourth wicket to fall, the Indians suffered a dramatic collapse to be reduced to 198 for nine. Luckily, India got the last three runs through a wide, leg bye and Ashish Nehra hitting the winning run.
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2016 series, 2nd ODI at New Delhi
Few teams have come to India in recent times and competed. New Zealand will be proud of their effort in 2016 when they took two games off India. The self-belief for the tour came in the second game at New Delhi when they successfully defended a total of 242 for nine. Pacers Trent Boult and Tim Southee were the wreckers-in-chief, sharing five wickets between them, before part-timer Martin Guptill produced a magic over to claim two wickets and restrict India to 236 all out.
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