AUCKLAND: Virat Kohli smashed his 80th half-century in one-day internationals and took a screamer of a catch to help India thrash New Zealand by five wickets in the rain-hit series opener in Auckland on Wednesday.
A day before his 38th birthday, Kohli underlined his enduring class with a knock of 74 in 51 balls at Eden Park as India chased down 143 on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after repeated rain showers interrupted their reply.
Talisman Kohli eventually holed out to deep square leg off the bowling of Jacob Duffy and exited waving his bat for the Indian fans who dominated the crowd.
Only five days after piling up 259 for seven in the fourth T20 match, New Zealand were bundled out for a paltry 185 in 40.2 overs after losing the toss to India captain Shubman Gill.
"I think we were very good with the bowling," said Gill. "Overall a very good team performance."
Pace duo Arshdeep Singh (4-70) and Gurnoor Brar (3-44) took seven wickets between them, rattling through New Zealand's top order as the home batters repeatedly succumbed to short-pitched bowling.
Fast-bowling all-rounder Anshul Kamboj was impressive in his second ODI, taking two wickets and conceding a miserly 22 runs from his 10 overs to be man of the match.
"The way both of them bowled tonight was really magnificent to watch," Gill said of Kamboj and Brar.
Kohli delivered Kamboj his first wicket with a brilliant, diving slips catch, plucking a one-hander above the grass to remove all-rounder Nathan Smith for one.
Tim Seifert opened the batting for New Zealand, replacing the concussed Devon Conway, and top-scored for the hosts with 38 in his first ODI in over 18 months.
The five-match series moves to Wellington on Saturday. — Reuters
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