5th ODI: India beat New Zealand by 22 runs to clinch series 3-1, end seven-year home streak

India’s fast-bowling attack was at its best, defending a modest 209 and beating New Zealand by 22 runs in the fifth and final ODI at the Bay Oval on Sunday. The result also meant India clinched the series 3-1 and handed New Zealand their first home ODI series defeat in seven years. India also got their first ODI series victory under head coach Gautam Gambhir in overseas conditions.

Arshdeep Singh was the pick of bowlers, sticking to a stump-to-stump line, picking 3-30 and troubling batters with seam movement, while Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel took two scalps each. Auqib Nabi, Naman Dhir and debutant pacer Yash Thakur each took a scalp as New Zealand were bowled out for 187 in 48.1 overs.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer also used his pacers well and admirably backed them to get the job done. It was a bowling effort that rescued a batting display in which Rohit Sharma and Kohli both fell for single digits. Axar and Ishan Kishan made 46 each, but the 28 runs from the last-wicket pair of Siraj and Arshdeep proved decisive.

New Zealand began their chase by hitting three boundaries before Siraj, playing his first game of the series, struck in the sixth over when Seifert heaved across the line and was caught by mid-on for 14. Nabi found late movement away from the bat and bowled a maiden in the ninth over. Nick Kelly punished some loose deliveries from Siraj, but Arshdeep struck twice - Ruturaj Gaikwad slid on his elbows to hold a fine catch at deep backward square-leg to dismiss Will Young for 22, while Kelly chopped onto his stumps off him on 24.

Siraj then rattled Finn Allen’s top of off stump to leave the hosts in trouble at 83/4. India, though, dropped two chances in the middle overs - Virat Kohli put down a sitter at second slip off Foxcroft, and Thakur dropped a return catch from Michael Bracewell. But Nabi’s bouncer eventually had Bracewell caught at deep square leg for 19.

Thakur then took his maiden ODI wicket on the very next ball, dismissing Foxcroft for 31 and leaving New Zealand at 119/6. Thakur had a mixed outing, flicking the stumps in his delivery stride three times, resulting in no-balls being registered against his name, but he finished with 1-38.

Santner played a few shots to keep New Zealand in the hunt before his slog-sweep off was caught at deep mid-wicket, and he fell for 24. Kristian Clarke edged behind to Kishan off Arshdeep, while Axar sealed the game when he had Jacob Duffy caught at long-on and got Blair Tickner stumped for 14, handing India a memorable win.

Brief Scores: India 209 in 42.1 overs (Axar Patel 46, Ishan Kishan 46; Mitchell Santner 3-47, Jacob Duffy 3-60) beat New Zealand 187 all out in 48.1 overs (Dean Foxcroft 31, Mitchell Santner 24; Arshdeep Singh 3-30, Axar Patel 2-28) by 22 runs.