The second match of the 5-match ODI series between India and New Zealand was played in Wellington on Saturday (7 November). In this rain-affected match, Team India won by 4 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. Due to bad weather and wet field, the match started late by 1 hour, due to which the match was played in 47-47 overs. The Indian team won the toss and decided to bowl first and bowled out New Zealand for 134 in 41 overs.
The run chase was considered very easy for Team India but the Kiwi bowlers breathed life into the match by taking 4 wickets within 50 runs. Batsmen like captain Shubman Gill (0), Virat Kohli (7) and Rohit Sharma (23) were in the pavilion. Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul took over the team by making a partnership of 39 runs for the fifth wicket. However, the story changed as soon as Shreyas (30) was out. Naman Dheer (12) and Anshul Kamboj (12) were out in consecutive overs. It seemed that KL Rahul (26) would be left alone, then it rained again and Team India was saved from any untoward incident.
By the time play was stopped, India's score was 113/7. To win, he had to score 22 runs and he had only 3 wickets left. New Zealand's hopes were raised but rain prevented further play. According to the DSL method, the Indian team was ahead by 4 runs and took a 2-0 lead in the series. Rahul returned unbeaten after scoring 26 runs. Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy took 3-3 wickets for New Zealand. Matthew Fisher, who came on as a concussion substitute for Blair Tickner, got a breakthrough.
Also read: Virat out on 7 runs, still record made; Became number-1 scorer against New Zealand
Gurnoor Brar became player of the match
After losing the toss and coming to bat first, Aaqib Nabi sent both the openers of the Kiwi team to the pavilion. He first dismissed Tim Seifert (0) and then Will Young (60). Anshul Kamboj gave the third blow to New Zealand in the form of Henry Nicholls (11). After this, Gurnoor Brar destroyed the batting order of the host team. Gurnoor bowled lethally and took 4 wickets for 30 runs in 10 overs. Aaqib, Kamboj and Akshar took 2 wickets each. Arshdeep Singh was very economical. Bowled, he gave only 21 runs in 7 overs.