Invincible Indians maul Kiwis to clinch cricket series 3-0

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A day before the third one-day international game against India, New Zealand's Eastern District Police cautioned their countrymen from an impending onslaught as they issued the tongue-in-cheek social media warning, writing, “Police would like to issue a warning to members of the public about the exploits of a group touring the country at the moment.

Witnesses report seeing this group badly assault an innocent looking bunch of New Zealanders in both Napier and Mt Maunganui in the last week. Extra care should be taken if you are carrying anything that looks like a cricket bat or ball.”

However, their worst fear once again came true as the bunch of innocuous and hapless New Zealanders were mauled again by that rampaging bunch of plundering tourists in the third limited over game in Mount Maunganui as they snatched the five-match series from the home side on a not so manic Monday.

India's Hardik Pandya bowls during the third one-day international cricket match between New Zealand and India at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. /VCG Photo

Jokes apart, Virat Kohli's boys were at their clinical best to steamroll the Kiwis by seven wickets and took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best of five series.

Earlier, after the home side elected to bat first, the Indian pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the early breakthrough by dismissing the openers.

The game also saw the spectacular return of recently suspended Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who was thrown out of the team during India's recent tour of Australia for making sexist and misogynist remarks against women in a television talk show back home in India. It was Pandya whose flying catch sent dangerman and Kiwi captain Kane Williamson back to the pavilion.

However, Ross Taylor hit 93 and was well supported by wicket-keeper-batsman Tom Latham's 51 as the Black Caps eventually amassed a competitive total of 243 before Shami polished off the Kiwi tail.

India's Virat Kohli (L) bats watched by New Zealand's Tom Latham (R) during the third one-day international cricket match between New Zealand and India at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. /VCG Photo

In reply, Rohit Sharma, who will take over the captaincy from Kohli as he will take a rest in the remaining one-dayers of the series, made a patient 62 while an in-form Kohli chipped in with a 60-run innings to lay the foundation for India's successful chase.

An unbeaten partnership between Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik, who replaced an injured Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the wicket-keeper for the game, sealed the game in favor of the Men in Blue.

Shami was adjudged the Player of the Match for his three-wicket blast.

In his post-match press conference, Kolhi said, “The thing that stands out for me is the relentless intensity with which the guys have played all these three games, not relaxing after 2-0 up as well, which I think is very very important. Now they've started to realize how to close series and how to capitalize when we have advantage in a series.”

India had earlier won the first two matches in Napier and Mt Maunganui respectively.