Tom Latham and Kane Williamson starred as New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets in the first One-Day International of the three-match series at the Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday.
Latham remained unbeaten on 145* off 104 while skipper Williamson was not-out on 94 off 98 as the duo put on a 221-run partnership. India were asked to bat first and finished with 306/7, with the Kiwis reaching 309/3 in 47.1 overs.
Latham hammered 19 fours and five sixes in his knock. It was his seventh ODI century and his highest score in the format.
Williamson was solid from the other end as the Kiwis went one up in the ODI series, having lost the T20 series to India.
After being put into bat by New Zealand on Friday, India put up 306 and then did not allow New Zealand’s openers to settle as the chase began.
Finn Allen and then Dean Conway edged shots to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
India gave ODI debuts to pace bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik, who celebrated with the wickets of Conway and Daryl Mitchell in quick succession as New Zealand laboured to 88-3.
However, it quickly turned into a miserable evening for India’s bowlers.
Williamson dug in with a superb array of shots, including a 79-metre six.
He was well supported by Latham, who grew in confidence as the pair broke the Indian bowling momentum and took New Zealand to the finish line.
Earlier, India’s captain Shikhar Dhawan put on a superb opening partnership of 124 with Shubman Gill.
Dhawan smashed 13 fours as he made 72 runs off 77 balls before being caught off the bowling of Tim Southee, who claimed his 200th ODI wicket for New Zealand.
India’s run rate slowed as Pant and then Suryakumar Yadav were dismissed, leaving the visitors on 160-4.
Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings with 80 runs, including four sixes.
Hamilton will host the second ODI on Sunday.
Playing XIs:
India: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (w), Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham (w), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson.
Inputs from AFP
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