India Beat NZ by 45 Runs Via D/L Method in First Warm-up Match
India beat New Zealand by 45 runs via Duckworth-Lewis method in their first Champions Trophy warm-up game.
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Defending champions India beat New Zealand by 45 runs via Duckworth-Lewis method in their first Champions Trophy warm-up game at The Oval on Sunday.
Comeback man Mohammed Shami (3/47 in 8 overs) along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/28 in 6.4 overs) took three wickets each to bundle out New Zealand for 189 in 38.4 overs.
In reply, India were 129 for 3 in 26 overs, when rain stopped play but they were comfortably ahead of the Black Caps as per Duckworth-Lewis par score of 84 after 26 overs.
Kohli remained unbeaten at 52 off 55 balls in company of former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 not out).
While Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed by Tim Southee for just 7, Shikhar Dhawan hit 40 off 59 balls with the help of five boundaries, mostly square off the wicket. He added 68 runs for the second wicket with Kohli.
Dinesh Karthik was removed by Trent Boult for zero.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni looked good during the brief stint at the crease, smashing two boundaries and a six.
Opting to bat, Kane Williamson's side struggled to counter India's disciplined bowling effort led by the pace duo of Shami and Bhuvneshwar.
Playing in his first 50-over game for India since the 2015 World Cup semifinal, 27-year-old Shami removed Martin Guptill in the third over, the extra bounce catching the batsman by surprise.
A 43-run partnership ensued between Luke Ronchi and Williamson, before Shami had the skipper caught at wide slip by a diving Ajinkya Rahane.
Shami struck again when he induced an edge from Neil Broom, reaping the benefits of some tight bowling, as the ball moved away slightly.
Bhuvneshwar bowled Corey Anderson, while Ravindra Jadeja sent back Ronchi. Bhuvi wrapped up the Kiwi innings by taking the wickets of Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
Ronchi was New Zealand’s top-scorer with a brisk 66 off 63 balls, an innings that was studded with six boundaries and two sixes.
However, the rest in the New Zealand top-half failed to get going as they found themselves at the receiving end of the Indian bowlers' swing and seam coupled with the right line and length.
Down the order, James Neesham contributed a handy, unbeaten 46 off 47 balls, hitting six boundaries in the process.
There were two wickets for Jadeja (2/8) while Umesh Yadav, who was introduce late into the attack, bowled four overs for 11 runs.
India are without Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma in this game. While Yuvraj is recovering from a viral fever, Rohit was granted permission to join the team later as he was attending a family wedding.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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