New Zealand Beat India by Seven Wickets, Wins Test Series 2-0
Last Updated: March 02, 2023, 08:42 IST
On This Day in 2020: New Zealand defeat India in Test at Christchurch (Image: Twitter/ICC)
India failed to make any use of this important psychological lead and the batting lineup did not seem to have an answer for the New Zealand pacers
ON THIS DAY IN 2020: With a victory under their belt in the first Test against India at Wellington, hosts New Zealand arrived in Christchurch eyeing a whitewash. The Indians, on the other hand, were hoping to make a comeback and have a face-saver victory in the final Test match. With the toss going in Kiwis’ favour, India was asked to bat first.
The conditions at Christchurch were ideal for pacers and the young opening duo of Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal had the task to play through the initial overs without giving their wicket.
While the openers started well, a delivery from Trent Boult in the sixth over hit Agarwal’s pads right in front of the stumps and India lost their first wicket. Shaw then stitched a partnership with Chetrshwar Pujara, adding 50 runs for the third wicket before he was dismissed soon after completing his half-century. While the next two Indian wickets fell quickly, the innings got some support from the 81-run partnership between Pujara and Hanuma Vihari. However, with the collapse in the batting lineup thereafter, the Indian score was limited to 242 runs.
The Kiwi reply was also marred with batting disappointments. After a 69-run opening stand by Tom Lathan and Tom Bundell, the New Zealand batting collapsed, and the team was down to 153 for 7 before Kyle Jamieson’s heroic 49-run knock steered them out of trouble. The New Zealand innings finished with only 235 runs, giving India a thin seven-run lead.
However, India failed to make any use of this important psychological lead and the batting lineup did not seem to have an answer for the New Zealand pacers. None of the India batters could cross the score of 25 runs and even with 21 extras, the team was sent back at a total of just 124 runs.
New Zealand now needed 132 runs for a victory and their batters looked in no mood to goof up an easy win against India. Banking on the solid 101-run opening stand given by Latham and Blundell, the Kiwi team chased the winning total with 7 wickets remaining on the third day of the Test.
Sealing the series win 2-0, New Zealand also registered their 13 consecutive wins at home.
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