The bowlers set up India’s comprehensive six-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international as batting mainstay Virat Kohli anchored the hosts’ chase in the low-scoring encounter in Dharamsala on Sunday.
The hosts, who were chasing a modest 191 for victory, rode the 60-run partnership between Kohli (85 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to canter home in 33.1 overs, but it was the bowling led by debutant medium pacer Hardik Pandya (3-31) and Amit Mishra (3-49) that helped topple New Zealand for a lowly 190 and set the platform for the big win.
Pace spearhead Umesh Yadav and off-spinner Kedar Jadhav also took two wickets each after the hosts elected to bowl first.
Photo: AP
“Fantastic performance from the fast bowlers. We had no clue it [the pitch] would help the fast bowlers,” Dhoni said. “Hardik exploited the good length. Umesh is somebody who has been quite quick consistently, he has gone from fit to one of the fittest.”
“Hardik is deceptive, you think he’d bowl 132, but he crosses 135 consistently,” Dhoni said in praise of the 23-year-old pacer, who was named man of the match.
“India were too good, very good chasing side and they showed it today,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said. “We were below par in all areas, we need to step that up. We’re a tough unit, so we need to stick together and have to play our best cricket to beat India.”
“We had to weather the storm a little bit, the first 10 overs they bowled really well and some soft dismissals. Disappointing with the bat,” he said.
India lead the five-match series 1-0 with the next game in New Delhi on Thursday.
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