A late but successful rescue mission helmed by Ross Taylor led New Zealand to score 273 for 8 in 50 overs against India in the second ODI at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. Taylor, the man of the match of the first one-dayer that New Zealand won against India, yet again produced a game of class and grit as he pulled up New Zealand from 197 for 8 in the 42nd over to 273 with no loss of further wickets.
The Black Caps started out on an attacking note with openers Martin Guptill (79) and Henry Nichols (41) giving them a solid start. New Zealand batted without no loss of wicket till they reached a score of 93. Indians had to wait till the 16th overs to see the fall of the first wicket as Nicholls was caught leg before in a Yuzvendra Chahal delivery.
The next wicket fell at 142 as No 3 batsman Tom Blundell (22) was caught off a Shardul Thakur ball by Navdeep Saini. Soon, Guptill (79) was run out by the combo of Thakur and wicketkeeper K.L. Rahul, after which New Zealand fell like a pack of cards until newbie Kyle Jamieson joined Ross Taylor on the nineth wicket. The hosts, who fell from 142/2 to 197/8, were in danger of being bundled out cheaply by then.
However, Taylor and Jamieson had a different script with them as the Black caps soon recovered and ended the first innings with 273/8.
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Now, India need 274 to pull level as the hosts are ahead in the series after winning the first game.
Earlier, India skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to field against New Zealand. India made two changes, bringing in Navdeep Saini and Chahal in place of Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav.
New Zealand, on the other hand, replaced Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner with Mark Chapman and debutant Jamieson in the playing XI.