India made a mockery of McLean Park’s billing as a batting paradise as they rolled New Zealand for 157 in Napier on Wednesday, with only captain Kane Williamson showing any resistance.
New Zealand were all out with 12 overs remaining, having opted to bat first, as Williamson struck a hard-fought 64.
But the remainder of the New Zealand batting line-up failed to cope with the initial swing of Mohammed Shami and were then tied up in knots by the spin of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Yadav finished with four for 39 and Chahal took two for 43, while Shami had three for 19 off six overs.
While the innings started amid talk of a runfest, Shami worked from a different script as he bowled Martin Guptill with his fifth delivery to open his New Zealand tour with a wicket maiden.
He found movement both ways off the pitch and bowled Colin Munro in his next over, leaving New Zealand with its top two batsmen– Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor – in the middle just 21 balls into the innings.
After the duo steadied the ship for a while, the Indian spinners ran through the rest of the batting lineup. The hosts went from from 76/3 to 157 all out.
The Indian bowling unit came in for praise from former cricketers for another brilliant performance.
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