DARYL MITCHELL scored an unbeaten 131 as New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets in the second one-day international on Wednesday to level the three-match series.
Chasing 285, New Zealand reached the target with 15 balls remaining, helped by Mitchell’s eighth ODI century and a 162-run partnership for the third wicket with Will Young, who made 87, in Rajkot.
Mitchell’s innings followed an unbeaten 112 by KL Rahul, which had taken India to 284-7 and forced the series into a decider on Sunday in Indore.
Mitchell came in to bat with New Zealand at 46-2 and, along with Young, steadied the chase and took control of the innings.
Young was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav in the 38th over, but Mitchell remained at the crease and went on to complete his hundred.
Mitchell hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 117-ball innings and added an unbeaten 78-run stand with Glenn Phillips, who finished on 32 not out.
India had early success with the ball when Harshit Rana bowled Devon Conway for 16, and Prasidh Krishna dismissed Henry Nicholls for 10 after he edged the ball onto his stumps.
Mitchell, who was dropped on 80, and Young continued to score boundaries as New Zealand completed their highest-ever ODI run chase in India.
Earlier, India captain Shubman Gill scored 56 before a brief collapse, followed by a 73-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja.
Rahul brought up his eighth ODI century in 87 balls with a six off Kyle Jamieson.
India made a strong start through Gill and Rohit Sharma, who scored 24, as the opening pair added 70 runs.
Rohit was dismissed by Kristian Clarke, and Jamieson removed Gill soon after.
Clarke continued with his medium pace to dismiss Shreyas Iyer for eight and Virat Kohli for 23.
Kohli, who returned to the top of the ODI batting rankings on Wednesday, was dismissed as India slipped from 99-1 to 118-4.
Rahul then rebuilt the innings with Jadeja, who scored 27.
The ODI series will be followed by five T20 matches ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
