Arshdeep Singh Takes 3 for 30 as India Beat New Zealand by 22 Runs to Win ODI Series 3-1

India beat New Zealand by 22 runs in the fifth and final ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Sunday 15 November, taking the five-match series 3-1. Put in to bat, India were bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs, and their bowlers then dismissed New Zealand for 187 in 48.1 overs. Arshdeep Singh, with 3 for 30 from his 10 overs, was named player of the match.

The result came two days after India’s heaviest defeat of the tour on the same ground, where they were bowled out for 89 and lost the fourth ODI by 244 runs.

India’s innings

India's top order struggled again. Matt Fisher removed both Rohit Sharma, for 7, and Virat Kohli, for 5, and Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught off Jacob Duffy for 18. Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel rebuilt the innings with 46 each, Axar's runs coming from 55 balls. Mitchell Santner took 3 for 47 and Jacob Duffy also claimed three wickets as India were dismissed with almost eight overs unused.

New Zealand’s chase

Chasing 210, New Zealand never built a partnership big enough to take control. Dean Foxcroft top-scored with 31 from 42 balls, while Nick Kelly and Santner made 24 each and Will Young 22. Arshdeep took the wickets of Young, Kelly and Kristian Clarke, Mohammed Siraj and Axar picked up two each, and Auqib Nabi and Naman Dhir one apiece. Yash Thakur made his ODI debut and took a wicket, and Michael Bracewell played his 50th ODI.

India captain Shreyas Iyer, standing in for Shubman Gill, called the series win “a great achievement”.

How the series unfolded

India won the first two matches on the DLS method, by five wickets at Eden Park and by four runs in Wellington. The third ODI in Hamilton was abandoned without a ball bowled, and New Zealand's 244-run win in the fourth kept the series alive before India closed it out. India had earlier won the T20I series 3-2.

The teams now move to a two-match Test series in the World Test Championship, with Tom Latham leading New Zealand and Gill returning to captain India. The first Test starts at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on 19 November, and the second follows at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from 27 November.