Bengaluru, Dec. 7: A barrage of sixes from the blade of Yusuf Pathan doused New Zealand’s hopes of notching up a face-saving first win win in the five-match ODI series, particularly after the visitors had done well to post a challenging 316-run target at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday.
Pathan though took no notice of a mounting run-rate and clobbered his way to his maiden one-day hundred off only 79 balls, finishing on an unbeaten 123 (96b, 7x4, 7x6) to guide India to a five-wicket win in the fourth ODI.
The Indian run chase was stuttering at 203/5 in 36 overs and still requiring 113 runs off 14 overs when an one-hour rain delay changed the complexion of the game. Pathan deposited the first ball after the resumption into the stands to reach his fifty and then rushed to a century in double quick time.
The turning point of the innings was the last over of the batting powerplay — the 43rd of the innings — as Pathan garnered 21 runs off the Kylie Mills over with three fours and six. He reached his century in the next over. Saurabh Tiwary (37 n.o., 39b, 3x4, 1x6) was almost a silent spectator in a sixth wicket stand of 133 in 93 balls.
Earlier, Parthiv Patel, playing his first ODI after six years, raced to 53 off 57 balls (8x4) in pursuit of the massive Kiwis total. Nathan McCullum (2/38) dismissed Patel and Yuvraj Singh (20) in quick succession as India stumbled to 108/4 in the 20th over.
The stage was then set for Yusuf, who first in the company of Rohit Sharma (44) resurrected the innings with a 80-run stand for the fifth wicket, before taking the visitors apart with ease.
Earlier, the visitors’ batsmen refused to wilt under pressure, and James Franklin (98 not out, 69b, 12x4, 3x6) used the long handle to good effect as he and Nathan McCullum added 64 runs during an unbroken eight wicket partnership. The final five overs yielded 63 of those, as Franklin, who was dropped by Yusuf when on 47, posted his career-best score.
Franklin slammed two sixes and two boundaries in the final over by Ashish Nehra that yielded 22 runs.
And this was the way New Zealand had built their innings from the start.
Scoreboard
New Zealand
Guptill c Yuvraj b Nehra 30, B. McCullum c Sharma b Ashwin 42, How c Pathan b Nehra 4, Taylor lbw b Ashwin 44, Styris c Tiwary b Pathan 46, Franklin not out 98, D. Vettori b Pathan 17, Mills b Pathan 1, N. McCullum not out 13.
Extras: (lb8, w12) 20
Total 315/7
FoW: 1-62, 2-70, 3-91, 4-170, 5-210, 6-249, 7-251.
Bowling: Zaheer 8-0-40-0 (w3), Kumar 7-0-42-0 (w1), Ashwin 10-0-66-2 (w6), Nehra 9-1-70-2 (w2), Yuvraj 3-0-21-0, Pathan 9-0-49-3, Sharma 4-0-19-0.
India
Gambhir c Guptill b McKay 27, Parthiv c Williamson b N. McCullum 53, Kohli c Mills b McKay 0, Yuvraj c How b N. McCullum 20, Rohit Sharma c Vettori b Southee 44, Yusuf Pathan n.o. 123, Saurabh Tiwary n.o. 37.
Extras (b-4, lb-3, w-8, nb-2) 17
Total (in 48.5 overs) 321/5
FoW: 1-67, 2-68, 3-103, 4-108, 5-188.
Bowling: Mills 10-1-65-0, Southee 10-0-64-1, McKay 7-0-632, N McCullum 7.5-0-38-2, Styris 4-1-27-0, Vettori 10-0-57-0.