India made a mockery of McLean Park’s billing as a batting paradise as they rolled New Zealand for 157 in Napier on Wednesday, with only captain Kane Williamson showing any resistance.
New Zealand were all out with 12 overs remaining, having opted to bat first, as Williamson struck a hard-fought 64.
But the remainder of the New Zealand batting line-up failed to cope with the initial swing of Mohammed Shami and were then tied up in knots by the spin of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Yadav finished with four for 39 and Chahal took two for 43, while Shami had three for 19 off six overs.
While the innings started amid talk of a runfest, Shami worked from a different script as he bowled Martin Guptill with his fifth delivery to open his New Zealand tour with a wicket maiden.
He found movement both ways off the pitch and bowled Colin Munro in his next over, leaving New Zealand with its top two batsmen– Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor – in the middle just 21 balls into the innings.
After the duo steadied the ship for a while, the Indian spinners ran through the rest of the batting lineup. The hosts went from from 76/3 to 157 all out.
The Indian bowling unit came in for praise from former cricketers for another brilliant performance.
Outstanding effort from Shami to begin with and then the two wrist spinners Kuldeep and Chahal completely bamboozling the NZ batsmen to bowl them out for 157.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 23, 2019
Spin to Win....Kuldeep-Chahal too hot to handle in Napier too. #NZvInd @StarSportsIndia
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 23, 2019
Two wrist spinners in the middle overs. What a combination! Wickets between 15 and 40 is one of the biggest factors in odi cricket.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 23, 2019
Welcome to 100 ODI wickets club @MdShami11. Very well done on becoming the fastest Indian to reach 100 ODI wickets. #NZvIND
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 23, 2019
Fantastic from Shami to become the fastest Indian to 100 ODI wickets. Bowled beautifully today. And the wrist spinners doing their magic once again. Great beginning to the tour for India #NZvInd
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 23, 2019
The Indian bowling unit giving so much to cheer to the fans, excellent come back from the spin twins!#NZvIND #RPSwing
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) January 23, 2019
Dhoni's instructions to the spinners from behind the stumps are a masterclass in reading batsmen. "Yeh aankh bandh karke rokega." Tells Kuldeep to come round the stumps and full. Bang goes the last wicket. #NZvIND
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) January 23, 2019
Dont worry about your Main course @BCCI just go straight to dessert 🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐 #NZvIND
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) January 23, 2019
Indn bowlers continue to be on roll..Kiwis cave in tamely..ANZEC adventure is Happy Hunting..!!
— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi) January 23, 2019
How wonderfully @msdhoni set up the last wicket for Kuldeep if you heard his instructions to the bowler! Terrific performance by India, terribly disappointing by New Zealand: dented by Shami, demolished by the spinners. Should be an easy chase
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 23, 2019
Chahal and Kuldeep to Ashwin's ODI career. #NZvInd pic.twitter.com/zv2YbXyQo1
— Bollywood Gandu (@BollywoodGandu) January 23, 2019
"Bahuth Badiya", as #Dhoni says often.. NZ demolished for 157 all out in just 38 ovs.. Our bowlers were just too good - Kuldeep, Shami and Chahal. #NZvIND
— Kaushik LM (@LMKMovieManiac) January 23, 2019