Team India could not save the big target of 348 runs in Hamilton ODI against New Zealand (India vs New Zealand). In this match, Ross Taylor played a brilliant century for New Zealand and returned only after winning his team. But Taylor got his life donated by Kuldeep Yadav in this innings.
Chasing a target of 348 runs in this match, the New Zealand team batted at the start. Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls focused more on saving wickets from the beginning and scored 54 runs in the first 10 overs. Taylor had been batting when the team had 100 runs in the 20th over. At that time the match was not bowed to any side.
By the 23rd over, Nicholls and Taylor were trying to increase the run speed, but they were not taking much risk either. In this over, the ball was in the hands of Ravindra Jadeja. After playing the first two balls dot ball, Taylor was restless to get runs. On the third ball, Taylor tried to make a sharp sweep.
Taylor’s sweep was not accurate, and after hitting the top edge, Kuldeep Yadav standing on the backward square leg went to the back. Kuldeep ran backwards fast, the ball also came in his hand, but he could not complete this difficult catch. There was disappointment in the entire team India including Kuldeep.
If Kuldeep Yadav would have caught that catch, then the result of the match could have been something else. Taylor first shared a 62-run partnership with Nicholls and then a 138 with captain Latham and came back to the pavilion to stay alive until the end.
New Zealand is now 1-0 ahead in the three-match series. The next match of the series will be in Auckland on Saturday 8 February and the last match will be on 11 May in Mount Maunganui.
