India have played more than a thousand one-day internationals over half a century, and they had never seen anything like Friday’s first over at the Bay Oval. Chasing 334 against New Zealand, they lost Rohit Sharma to an edge to slip, Virat Kohli bowled and captain Shreyas Iyer leg before, all for nought, before a single run was on the board.
The man responsible was Matt Henry, playing his first match of the series after sitting out three games following a clash of heads with Devon Conway at practice. Henry later shrugged it off, saying the stiff breeze had pushed him to keep things simple and that a little luck helped. He returned to pick off two more batters and finished with 6 for 27, the best figures of his career, as India were dismissed for 89 inside 27 overs, with nobody passing Ishan Kishan’s modest 27.
The 244-run margin is India’s second-heaviest ODI defeat, topped only by a 245-run loss to Sri Lanka back in 2000, and 89 is their lowest total in 15 years. Rohit and Kohli had only once before both registered ducks in the same one-day game.
New Zealand’s total rested on Will Young, who was put down twice in consecutive deliveries early on and went on to make 125 off 108 balls, his fifth ODI hundred. Tim Seifert struck a quick 58 to help him put on 85 for the first wicket, and Finn Allen added 41. India’s bowlers clawed back late, conceding just 68 in the last ten overs, but it hardly mattered.
Iyer admitted his side had expected to cruise and that the pitch seamed far more in the second innings. With one game left on Sunday, the visitors are 2-1 up in the five-match contest.
