Mitchell, Phillips Centuries Power New Zealand to 337/8 in ODI Series Decider

Indore, Jan 18 : Riding on magnificent centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips, New Zealand staged a remarkable recovery from early trouble to post an imposing 337/8 against India in the third and deciding One-Day International at the Holkar Stadium here on Sunday. On a two-paced black soil surface that offered variable bounce, the visitors overcame a shaky start to put themselves in a commanding position in the series decider.

Asked to bat first, New Zealand found themselves under pressure early as the Indian seamers made incisive inroads with the new ball. Henry Nicholls departed cheaply after chopping on to his stumps off Arshdeep Singh, while Harshit Rana continued his impressive run in the series by dismissing Devon Conway for the third consecutive time, inducing an edge that carried safely to first slip. When Will Young cut Rana straight to backward point for 30, the visitors were reeling at 58/3 and staring at the prospect of another difficult outing.

What followed, however, was a masterclass in rebuilding and controlled aggression from Mitchell and Phillips. The pair came together under pressure and produced a monumental 219-run partnership off 186 deliveries that completely turned the course of the innings and deflated the Indian attack.

Mitchell, who was reprieved on one after a missed run-out chance by Kuldeep Yadav, made full use of the opportunity. Batting with authority and composure, he looked assured throughout his knock, timing the ball sweetly and picking his scoring options with precision. He brought up his fourth ODI century against India, an innings studded with 15 fours and three sixes, and in the process became the highest run-scorer in a men’s three-match ODI series against India.

Mitchell was particularly severe on anything short or wide, producing elegant back-foot strokes through point and cover while also dispatching the spinners when they erred in length. He signalled his attacking intent against spin in the 17th over by stepping out to loft Kuldeep Yadav straight down the ground for six, before reaching his half-century off 56 balls. He continued to press the accelerator, striking another towering six off Nitish Kumar Reddy as New Zealand moved steadily towards a competitive total.

At the other end, Phillips initially found scoring difficult and took 37 balls to register his first boundary. However, once he found his rhythm, the dynamic batter shifted gears effortlessly. A straight six off Arshdeep Singh appeared to free his arms, and he followed it up with crisp boundaries off Reddy to quickly gain momentum. Phillips reached his fifty off 53 balls and then accelerated dramatically, showcasing his power and range against both spin and pace.

India’s bowling strategy came under scrutiny as they relied heavily on seam, using only three overs of spin through Kuldeep Yadav until the 30th over, largely due to fears of being taken apart on the small ground with its lightning-fast outfield. When Ravindra Jadeja was eventually introduced, both Mitchell and Phillips attacked him confidently, clearing the ropes with ease.

Phillips brought up his century in just 83 balls, an innings laced with nine fours and three sixes, highlighting his ability to shift from anchor to aggressor seamlessly. From a cautious 21 off 36 deliveries, he exploded to add 79 runs off his next 47 balls without appearing rushed or reckless.

India briefly fought back late in the innings. Arshdeep Singh dismissed Phillips with a wide cutter that found the edge and carried to the wicketkeeper, while Mohammed Siraj removed Mitchell with a well-directed bouncer to end his brilliant knock of 137, the highest ODI score of his career. Kuldeep Yadav then trapped Mitchell Hay lbw with a sharp googly, and Zak Foulkes perished attempting an ambitious reverse scoop off Arshdeep.

Despite the late wickets, New Zealand maintained momentum through captain Michael Bracewell, who played a lively unbeaten cameo of 28 off just 18 balls, clearing the boundary ropes four times. Kristian Clarke also impressed with a straight drive and a towering six before falling to Rana, ensuring the visitors crossed the 330-run mark.

With 337 on the board, New Zealand gave themselves a strong chance of clinching their first-ever bilateral ODI series win on Indian soil, setting India a stiff chase under lights.

Brief scores:
New Zealand 337/8 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 137, Glenn Phillips 106; Arshdeep Singh 3-63, Harshit Rana 3-84) vs India.

Team Maverick.