India vs New Zealand: Shami, Dhawan power IND to eight-wicket win in Napier

Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav star with the ball while Shikhar Dhawan returned to form with the bat as India went 1-0 up in the series.

India produced a scintillating all-round show to beat New Zealand by eight wickets in the first ODI of the five-match series at McLean Park in Napier on Wednesday. Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav star with the ball while Shikhar Dhawan returned to form with the bat as India went 1-0 up in the series.

India's Mohammed Shami bowls out Martin Guptil and celebrates during the one day international between New Zealand and India in Napier. (AP)

Dhawan and Rohit Sharma started on a positive note as they took the attack to the hosts before the dinner break. The 41-run stand between the duo was broken by Doug Bracewell, as he got rid of Rohit on the second ball after the stoppage for 11.

Skipper Virat Kohli joined Dhawan in the middle but soon after the play had to be stopped once again, this time due to sun outrage. Dhawan mentioned to the umpire he wasn’t able to spot the ball as the setting sun was shining in front of his eyes.

When the play resumed, India’s revised target became 156 in 49 runs (2 runs and one over less) according to the Duckworth and Lewis System (DLS). Dhawan and Kohli put on a fifty-run stand to take India closer to the target. The southpaw also completed his 26th ODI fifty and his first in the last 10 innings.

Before completing his half-century, skipper Kohli was dismissed by Lockie Ferguson as he edge the ball into the hands of the keeper for 45. Ambati Rayudu joined forces with Dhawan and the duo ensured India went over the line without any further hiccups.

Earlier, Indian bowlers made a mockery of McLean Park’s billing as a batting paradise as they dismissed the hosts for just 157 in Napier. New Zealand were all out with 12 overs remaining, having opted to bat first, as skipper Kane Williamson struck a hard-fought 64.

But the remainder of the New Zealand batting line-up failed to cope with the initial swing of Mohammed Shami and were then tied up in knots by the spin of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Yadav finished with four for 39 and Chahal took two for 43, while Shami had three for 19 off six overs.

While the innings started amid talk of a runfest, Shami worked from a different script as he bowled Martin Guptill with his fifth delivery to open his New Zealand tour with a wicket maiden.

He found movement both ways off the pitch and bowled Colin Munro in his next over, leaving New Zealand with its top two batsmen-- Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor -- in the middle just 21 balls into the innings.

Both struggled initially with a Williamson edge off Shami falling just short of Virat Kohli at point while Taylor twice survived run out opportunities.

After 13 overs, when New Zealand were 43 for two, Williamson and Taylor opened up against Vijay Shankar, taking nine off one over.

But it was only a brief flurry before India struck again when a lazy shot from Taylor saw him caught and bowled by Chahal for 24.

In the following over, Williamson made a mess of pulling Shankar to fine leg but fortunately for him Kedar Jadhav made an even bigger mess of taking what should have been a regulation catch and the ball spilled to the ground.

Tom Latham, with a reputation for being a quality player of spin, faced 10 balls for 11 runs when he was the second caught-and-bowled wicket for the leg-spinner Chahal.

Henry Nicholls (12) and Mitchell Santner (14) followed in quick succession.

As has so often happened with New Zealand, Williamson was saddled with the role of getting his side out of trouble.

But on 64 he was deceived by a Yadav leg break and was caught by Shankar at long-on to leave New Zealand at 146 for seven.

The last three wickets of Doug Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson and Trent Boult could add only 11 runs in five overs.