It was a brilliant show by Virat Kohli & Co as they defeated New Zealand by 90 runs in their second ODI encounter in Mount Maunganui to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Rohit Sharma played a brilliant innings of 87 at the top of the innings to take the visitors to 324/4 and spinner Kuldeep Yadav contributed with four wickets.
This was India’s largest victory in New Zealand in terms of runs. The previous record was 84 runs which was achieved in 2009 when Virender Sehwag scored a brilliant century to guide them to victory.
Kuldeep, who had four victims in the eight-wicket victory in the first match in Napier, claimed 4-45 as New Zealand were dismissed for 234 in 40.2 overs in reply to India’s 324-4.
All of the top-six New Zealand batsmen got starts in pursuit of a target of 325 that was achievable on a good pitch that offered true bounce and pace.
Earlier. Shikhar Dhawan (66) and Rohit Sharma (87) scoring at almost a run a ball as the visitors looked all set to score in excess of 350. While the opening pair were both dismissed by the end of the 30th over, India were still 173-2 but they were able to steadily build their innings and surpassed 300 when former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (48 not out) and Kedar Jadhav (22 from 10 balls) closed with 35 runs in the final two overs.