It took one over to end the contest. India walked out at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Friday chasing 334, and within six balls of the reply the match was effectively over. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer were all back in the pavilion for ducks, India were 0 for 3, and New Zealand were on their way to a 244-run win, the second-biggest defeat India have ever suffered in one-day cricket.
Matt Henry did the damage. Playing his first match of the series, the fast bowler finished with 6 for 27 as India were bowled out for 89 in 26.4 overs. It was a collapse so complete that it barely felt like a contest between two sides who had spent the last three weeks trading blows. New Zealand had posted 333, built on Will Young’s 125, and from the moment Henry struck in the opening over, India never looked like getting close.
One over that changed everything
Henry had missed the first three games of the series as a precaution after a collision with Devon Conway on the eve of the opener. He made up for lost time in a hurry. His first ball of the chase removed Rohit Sharma, and before the over was done Kohli and Iyer had followed him back, all three dismissed without scoring. India were 0 for 3, and the sold-out Bay Oval crowd knew the game had tilted decisively.
The wickets kept falling. Henry added three more to his tally as the middle order offered little resistance, and Matthew Fisher chipped in with 3 for 31. Only Ishan Kishan, with 27, and Axar Patel, with 21, reached double figures in any meaningful way. Henry wrapped up the innings by bowling Gurnoor Brar, finishing with figures of 6 for 27 in 9.4 overs, including two maidens.
India finished one run short of their lowest total against New Zealand, 88 at Dambulla in 2010.
Young sets it up with a century
The platform for the win had been laid earlier in the day. Will Young, who had managed only 9 and 6 in the first two matches of the series, answered his critics with his best ODI score, a composed 125 from 108 balls. It was his fifth century in the format, and it anchored New Zealand’s innings after early wickets.
Tim Seifert added a brisk 58 and Finn Allen contributed 41 as the hosts reached 333 all out in 50 overs. Axar Patel was the pick of India’s bowlers with 2 for 39, while Gurnoor Brar took 2 for 69 and Auqib Nabi 2 for 59. India had won the toss and chosen to bowl, with Iyer citing the ground conditions and the likelihood of evening dew. The decision made little difference in the end.
A changed side, and a warning for the Tests
India fielded a much-changed side in Mount Maunganui. Regular captain Shubman Gill, wicketkeeper KL Rahul and pacer Anshul Kamboj had all departed to prepare for the two-match Test series starting on November 19, and Iyer was leading India in ODIs for the first time. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and Kuldeep Yadav came into the side in their place.
The defeat will sting, but the series is still India’s to lose. The visitors lead 2-1 with one match to play, the third ODI in Hamilton having been washed out by rain. New Zealand can no longer win the five-match series, but a win in the final game at the same venue on Sunday, November 15, would leave the series drawn at 2-2. For India, the bigger concern is what the collapse says about their batting in seaming conditions, with a Test series against the same opponents starting in Wellington next week.
What happens next
- The fifth and final ODI will be played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Sunday, November 15.
- A New Zealand win would square the series 2-2; an India win seals a 3-1 series victory.
- Gill and Rahul are expected to return for the two-match Test series beginning November 19 in Wellington.
- Matt Henry, named player of the match, will head into the Tests as New Zealand’s form bowler.
FAQs
What was the score in the fourth ODI between India and New Zealand?
New Zealand scored 333 all out in 50 overs and bowled India out for 89 in 26.4 overs, winning by 244 runs at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Friday, November 13.
Who was the star of the match?
Matt Henry took 6 for 27, including three wickets in the first over, and was named player of the match. Will Young scored 125 for New Zealand.
Is this India’s biggest ODI defeat?
No. The 244-run loss is India’s second-biggest defeat in ODIs in terms of runs, and 89 is among their lowest totals in the format.
What is the series score now?
India lead the five-match series 2-1. The third ODI was abandoned due to rain, and the fifth ODI will be played on November 15 at Mount Maunganui.
Why were Gill and Rahul not playing?
Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj were rested from the final ODIs to prepare for the two-match Test series against New Zealand starting November 19.
For India, the scoreboard tells the whole story. One over, three ducks, and a series lead that suddenly looks far less comfortable than it did this morning.
