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Ranchi, October 26
Seamer James Neesham dismissed Rahane and Dhoni in successive overs and paceman Tim Southee (3/40) picked up two wickets off consecutive deliveries as India were reduced from 128/2 to 167/7 in the space of a few overs. Axar Patel (38) and Amit Mishra (14) added 38 for the eighth wicket while tailenders Dhawal Kulkarni (25 not out) and Umesh Yadav added 34 for the last wicket to take India close but their efforts were not enough.
Earlier, openers Martin Guptill (72) and Tom Latham (39) gave New Zealand a brisk start after the visiting captain Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bat on a slow surface. The duo added 80 in the first 10 overs of fielding restrictions but Dhoni then brought on his spinners to restrict the flow of runs. Guptill and Latham added another 16 for the opening stand before the latter fell to left-arm spinner Patel in the 16th over. Guptill, on the other hand, got two reprieves with Mishra dropping him twice - Mishra made a diving effort but could not hold on when Guptill on 29, and then, when the batsman was on 62, he misjudged a chance in the deep and let the ball go over his head for a boundary.
He, however, made amends by dismissing the dangerous Williamson (41) and Neesham in quick succession. BJ Watling, who replaced Luke Ronchi behind the stumps, and Ross Taylor (35), who was run out by a superb back-handed flick by Dhoni, fell in the space of an over, taking away the momentum from the New Zealand innings.
The two teams will now travel to Visakhapatnam for the series decider on Saturday. — Reuters
Scoreboard
New Zealand
M Guptill c Dhoni b Pandya 72
T Latham c Rahane b Patel 39
K Williamson c Dhoni b Mishra 41
R Taylor run out 35
J Neesham c Kohli b Mishra 6
B Watling c Sharma b Kulkarni 14
A Devcich c Pandya b Yadav 11
M Santner not out 17
T Southee not out 9
Extras: (lb 3, w 13) 16
Total (7 wickets; 50 overs) 260
FOW:- 1-96, 2-138, 3-184, 4-192, 5-217, 6-223, 7-242
Bowling
U Yadav 10-1-60-1
D Kulkarni 7-0-59-1
H Pandya 5-0-31-1
A Mishra 10-0-42-2
A Patel 10-0-38-1
K Jadhav 8-0-27-0
India
A Rahane lbw b Neesham 57
R Sharma c Watling b Southee 11
V Kohli c Watling b Sodhi 45
MS Dhoni b Neesham 11
A Patel b Boult 38
M Pandey c Latham b Southee 12
K Jadhav lbw b Southee 0
H Pandya c Latham b Santner 9
A Mishra run out 14
D Kulkarni not out 25
U Yadav c Taylor b Boult 7
Extras: (lb 3, w 9) 12
Total (all out; 48.4 overs) 241
FOW:- 1-19, 2-98, 3-128, 4-135, 5-154, 6-154, 7-167, 8-205, 9-207, 10-241
Bowling
T Southee 9-0-40-3
T Boult 9.4-1-48-2
J Neesham 6-0-38-2
M Santner 10-0-38-1
I Sodhi 10-1-52-1
A Devcich 4-0-22-0
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