When
your home team loses you always try to find out reasons or issues responsible
for that loss and try to justify that had that being different things would
have been positive. Although this is a natural reaction of the home team fans,
one must take in the overall picture too. There is no denying the fact that New
Zealand dished out a professional and gritty performance in the second one day
international (ODI) match played in Delhi yesterday against India and won
deservedly. The match was an entertainer down the wire as the narrow margin of
6 runs for the win made it abundantly clear.
On
a traditionally slow Kotla pitch New Zealand, put into bat by India, did not
get bogged down by the early loss of Guptil for a duck, but carried on the
momentum with Skipper Kane Williamson hitting a superlative century and
contributing for two major partnerships. The Kiwis looked set for a big score,
but some tight bowling by Mishra and Bumrah accounted for 6 wickets for just 21
runs at the later stage. Therefore, the final target of 243 set by them seemed
not too tall and was considered gettable by the batting might of India.
However, spirited bowling and magnificent fielding by the visitors made it
difficult for India, and losing wickets at regular intervals India folded up
just 6 runs short. It showed the rather over-dependence of the home team on
Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli. Rohit Sharma fell cheaply again like in
Dharamsala. Matured Pandiya ignited last hopes of an exciting victory, but as
he got out in the penultimate over the match was sealed.
The
home team fans were rather disappointed ruing the issues they thought
responsible for the dramatic loss. Some thought on a traditionally slow turner
India should have opted for batting after winning the toss. Then, the looming
question of Captain Cool, MS Dhoni still donning the shorter format team cap.
He is known to be finisher in such encounters. However, he could not do so
yesterday and rather struggled to make 39 runs in as many as 65 balls. When
Dhoni came into bat the situation was not that difficult with runs coming quite
easily. After the match Dhoni lamented that if any batsman could have batted
for few minutes more India could have won. Of course, he is also included in
that. Now, rather than blaming Dhoni one must credit the Kiwis for their
never-say-die attitude and professionalism. The match was a thriller and had
the ups and downs all throughout providing absolute entertainment to all
concerned.
New
Zealand made the ODI Series level at 1-1 with three matches to go. They lost
the Dharamsala match earlier, maybe not quite recovering from the Test
whitewash of 3-0 dished out by the Viral Kohli led Test side. More than that, the
rollicking Rahane and Kohli partnership made it very easy for India in that
first ODI. New Zealand has been a very competitive side in the shorter format
and despite the absence of retired Brendon McCullum the side is not weakened.
We can look forward to some exciting one day encounters in the coming days. For
India Suresh Raina is expected to come back in the next match. However, who
will make way for him is not clear, because though Rohit is out of form he is
not likely to be dropped, and Kedar Jadhav is playing quite well. Axar Patel
could be the option as Raina can also bowl.
Meanwhile,
the richest cricket board of the world, BCCI is made to bite the dust by the
Supreme Court in regard to Lodha Panel recommendations. The characteristically
arrogant Board has been trying to stall the reforms and asked for more time in
the last hearing. The Supreme Court has come down heavily on their defiance and
today froze all transactions between BCCI and the state cricket associations even
stopping release of funds for match purposes till the Board implements the
reforms recommended by Lodha Panel. The apex Court also asked Lodha Panel to
appoint an independent Auditor to scrutinize BCCI accounts.
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