NZ vs IND, 1st ODI: New Zealand Hammer India By 7 Wickets To Lead Series By 1-0

Auckland: New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets in the first One Day International at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday. The victory also gave the home team a 1-0 series lead in the three-match ODI series. The Blackcaps cruised through to 309 for 3 in 47.1 overs while chasing a target of 307 runs, thanks to a brilliant century from Tom Latham and a 94*-run innings from captain Kane Williamson.

Chasing 307, the Kiwis lost Finn Allen, Devon Conway, and Daryl Mitchell early. Skipper Kane Williamson then stitched together a masterful partnership with Tom Latham. Latham smashed an unbeaten 145 while Williamson gleefully played second fiddle scoring 94*, taking New Zealand over the line comfortably with 17 balls remaining. On the other side, debutant Pacer Umran Malik scalped two wickets for the Blue Brigade.

Earlier, after being put into bat by the Kiwis, India posted a competitive total of 306/7 in the first innings. Shreyas Iyer starred with the bat with 80 off 76 balls while captain Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill chipped in with substantive fifties.

However, it was the late blitzkrieg from Washington Sundar that propelled India past 300.