Indian players celebrate after taking a wicket during the 2nd ODI against New Zealand in Raipur on January 21, 2023. Photo credit: B Jothi Ramalingam
On winning the toss, India’s captain Rohit Sharma fell into thought, trying to remember whether the think-tank had decided to bat or bowl. But his pace quartet had no such problem when it came to planning against the New Zealand batsmen.
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Mohammed Shami and Co not only remembered the plans but also executed them to perfection on Saturday afternoon to ensure that Chhattisgarhians celebrated the advent of international cricket with a win for India.
On a damp pitch, which offered plenty of assistance, India’s fast bowlers rattled the Black Caps in the powerplay. There was no way back for the Kiwis at 15 for five. Another mini-collapse, in which the spinners were dominant, then saw New Zealand bundled out for 108 in the 35th over.
India took a little over 20 overs to chase down the target, losing Rohit, who scored a fine half-century, and Virat Kohli along the way.
The game, however, was quickly set up by the fast bowlers, with Shami hitting a double from the front. The experienced fast bowler displayed his specialty of bowling full and pitching on the seam.
Seeing the master at work, with Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya following the same template, Mohammed Siraj also joined in.
Shami was truly unstoppable. He ended Finn Allen’s stay on the fifth ball of the match, sneaking through his defenses and crashing into the stumps. With runs hard to come by, Siraj was rewarded in the sixth over as Henry Nicholls bowled a fuller delivery to Shubman Gill in the slip cordon.
Four balls later, Daryl Mitchell gave a catch to Shami to return, which was short. In the final over of the powerplay overs, Hardik Pandya took a brilliant one-handed return catch as he ducked down on his follow-through to dismiss Devon Conway.
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writing on the wall
When skipper Tom Latham pushed hard at a Shardul Thakur delivery that went a little too far, Gill was in action again and the writing was clear on the wall.
Shami then came back with a bang for the second time from the other end and Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Santner added 47 runs for the second wicket, dismissing the dangerous Michael Bracewell with a short ball.
The last four wickets fell within five runs as the innings ended 15 overs before the scheduled time.
Rohit then entertained a sea of blue, with over 60,000 fans in attendance, with a blistering fifty. His pull shot was a treat to watch as it ensured India crossed the line well in time for the fans to go a long way back home.
score board
New Zealand innings: Finn Allen b Shami 0 Devon Conway c and b Pandya 7 Henry Nicholls c Gill b Siraj 2 Daryl Mitchell c and b Shami 1 Tom Latham c Gill b Thakur 1 Glenn Phillips c Yadav b Sundar 36 Michael Bracewell c Kishan b Shami 22 Mitchell Santner b Pandya 27 Henry Shipley not out 2 Lockie Ferguson c Yadav b Sundar 1 Blair Tickner lbw Yadav 2 Extras: (LB-2, W-5) 7
complete: (All out in 34.3 overs) 108
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-8, 3-9, 4-15, 5-15, 6-56, 7-103, 8-103, 9-105.
Indian bowling: Mohammed Shami 6-1-18-3, Mohammed Siraj 6-1-10-1, Shardul Thakur 6-1-26-1, Hardik Pandya 6-3-16-2, Kuldeep Yadav 7.3-0-29-1, Washington Sundar 3-1-7-2
India’s innings: Rohit Sharma lbw b Shipley 51 Shubman Gill not out 40 Virat Kohli St Latham b Santner 11 Ishan Kishan not out 8 Extras: (LB-1) 1
complete: (for 2 wickets in 20.1 overs) 111
Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-98.
new zealand bowling: Lockie Ferguson 5-0-21-0, Henry Shipley 5-0-29-1, Blair Tickner 4-0-19-0, Mitchell Santner 4.1-0-28-1, Michael Bracewell 2-0-13-0 .