India vs New Zealand clashes have always been filled with excitement and tension. Over the years, these matches have provided fans with nail-biting moments and unforgettable encounters. As we gear up for another high tension semi final clash between the two teams, let’s take a look at some of the most thrilling India-New Zealand ODIs in the last four decades.
1985 Benson and Hedges Cup Semifinal at Sydney’s SCG: India emerged victorious by 7 wickets. Despite the final scoreline suggesting an easy win for India, the match was far from it. Chasing a target of 207, India found themselves in a tight spot at 102/3. The asking-rate had soared above 6, a considerable challenge back then. Captain Sunil Gavaskar’s decision to promote Kapil Dev proved to be a game-changer. Kapil’s unbeaten 54 off 37 balls, along with Dilip Vengsarkar’s unbeaten 63, steered India to victory and secured their place in the final.
1990 Rothman’s Cup tri-series in Wellington: India clinched a thrilling 1-run win. With India in a must-win situation, captain Mohammad Azharuddin led from the front. Contributions from Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar helped India set a target of 221. New Zealand seemed to be cruising towards victory until Manoj Prabhakar’s brilliant 49th over brought India back into the game. With Richard Hadlee at the crease, New Zealand needed 10 runs off six balls. However, Kapil Dev’s superb last over dismissed Hadlee off the final delivery, securing a memorable 1-run win for India.
2000 ICC Champions Trophy final in Nairobi: New Zealand emerged victorious by 4 wickets. India, under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, were the favorites going into the match. Ganguly’s century had propelled India to a competitive total of 264/6. However, Chris Cairns’ unbeaten 102 guided New Zealand to victory with two balls to spare.
2003 bilateral series 6th ODI in Auckland: On a challenging pitch, India bowled New Zealand out for 199. Virender Sehwag’s aggressive century brought India close to the target. However, a late collapse left India needing just one run with only one wicket in hand. Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra held their nerves to guide India to a narrow victory.
2019 World Cup semifinal at Old Trafford: It remains one of India’s most heartbreaking defeats in recent times. After restricting New Zealand to 239-8, India seemed to be in control. However, rain interrupted the match, and India’s chase was marred by a top-order collapse. MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja’s heroic partnership revived India’s hopes, but Dhoni’s run-out in the penultimate over shattered India’s dreams of reaching the final.
These are just a few examples of the thrilling encounters between India and New Zealand in ODIs. There have been several outstanding individual performances as well. Chetan Sharma’s ODI hat-trick and Sunil Gavaskar’s century in the 1987 World Cup, Mohd Azharuddin’s fastest century for India, and Sachin Tendulkar’s explosive innings in his first match as an opener are some of the memorable moments that have added to the rivalry between these two teams.
As we eagerly await the next chapter of this rivalry, let’s hope for another thrilling contest between India and New Zealand.
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