Rain denies Black Caps’ push for victory over India in low-scoring thriller

Rain has denied the Black Caps the chance to push for a famous win, as India claimed a four-run victory to take a 2-0 One-Day International series lead in Wellington courtesy of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. 

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first for the sixth time out of seven attempts on this tour, the Black Caps’ 134 all out – on an admittedly challenging wicket – should never have been enough. 

However, an opening burst from Jacob Duffy (3-35) and Kyle Jamieson (3-35) gave the hosts hope of pulling off a heist that seemed unthinkable at the halfway stage. In 26 overs, the Black Caps reduced India to 113-7, and left the equation at 22 runs needed from the final 126 deliveries, with KL Rahul – unbeaten with 26 – out of recognised partners. 

But with the game on a knife edge, the rain that had been forecast to fall all day finally arrived to change the equation once again. And while there was hope of a restart, further rain saw the umpires call the game in India’s favour. 

For the second game in a row, the Black Caps’ efforts with the bat left much to be desired. 

Tim Seifert fell early in the Black Caps' second ODI against India. Photo / Photosport 

As is so often the case for New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell was the shining light, making 55 off 104 balls, but only found support from captain Mitchell Santner (31 off 38) as the pair added 59 for the sixth wicket, as the rest of their teammates fell one by one. 

After impressing in Auckland, Gurnoor Brar continued to torment New Zealand’s batting order, with a spell of 4-30 from his 10 overs to rip the heart out of the Black Caps’ middle order. He was excellently supported by Anshul Kamboj (2-25) and Axar Patel (2-28). 

Both sides will now head to Hamilton for game three, where the Black Caps’ batting unit will at the very least hope the coin falls in their favour at Seddon Park, as they face match-point in the series. 

Like they’d done at Eden Park, New Zealand’s top order couldn’t set any kind of platform, as the Black Caps were reduced to 29-3 inside 10 overs as Tim Seifert (0), Will Young (6) and Henry Nicholls (11) all went cheap and early. 

Tasked with the unenviable job of rebuilding the innings, Mitchell was dropped on 21 off Anshul Kamboj (2-25), but lost Tom Latham (7) and Glenn Phillips (0) within the same over, to leave the scorecard at 53-5. 

Having been India’s nightmare in the Black Caps’ 2-1 fightback series win earlier this year, Mitchell added another half-century – taking 97 balls as his slowest in ODI cricket. 

But needing to up the tempo, Mitchell’s day finally ended on 55 when he was caught at long-off by Kamboj off Axar. Once Santner went, caught behind off Brar for 31, the Black Caps’ innings folded from 112-5 to 134 all out to set India another modest total. 

The pair of Duffy and Blair Tickner, who added the highest partnership for the Black Caps at Eden Park, couldn’t repeat the dose, as the Kiwi innings was wrapped up with six overs unused. Tickner also missed any chance with the ball, after he was ruled out with concussion after he was hit in the head by Kamboj, and replaced by Matt Fisher. 

Needing to take wickets to have any chance, Duffy struck twice at the top. First when Shubman Gill edged his first ball to Nicholls at second slip, and then again when Virat Kohli (7) hit straight to Young at cover to leave India 17-2. 

Duffy should have had the whole top order when Rohit Sharma was dropped on eight, only for Nathan Smith to struggle to hold a tough chance running in off the leg-side boundary. However, Rohit would add just 15 more before his night ended, when he edged Jamieson to Nicholls to leave India 40-3 after the power play. 

The Black Caps celebrate Jacob Duffy's dismissal of Shubman Gill against India in Wellington. Photo / Photosport 

That became 47-4 nearly three overs later, when Axar (7) ramped Fisher straight to Duffy at third man to give the concussion substitute a wicket, before a partnership of 39 in 43 balls between Shreyas Iyer and Rahul took India’s target to less than 50. 

Jamieson’s return yielded another wicket, as a short ball accounted for Iyer (30), who could only fend it to Latham behind the stumps at 86-5, to leave Rahul as the key. A top-edged six off Duffy teased the New Zealand fielders, and raised India’s 100 as the Black Caps started to run out of runs in the bank. 

A well-judged catch on the boundary from Seifert saw India’s sixth, as Naman Dhir (12) holed out to deep backward square off Duffy – who then held onto a steepling high catch to remove Anshul Kamboj (1) at the other end off Jamieson. 

But as the Black Caps had a genuine chance to bowl at India’s tailenders, rain had other intentions, as India snuck home to earn match point in the series. 

New Zealand 134 (Mitchell 55; Brar 4-30) 

India 113-6 (Iyer 30, Rahul 26 not out; Jamieson 3-35, Duffy 3-35) 

India win by four runs (DLS method) 

Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.