Auckland, Jan 25 (IANS): India kept the five-match ODI series alive after a dramatic tie in the third game against New Zealand at the Eden Park here Saturday.
New Zealand, who have an unassailable 2-0 lead, were once again poised to win but late heroics from Ravindra Jadeja (66 off 45 balls) saved India the blushes and gave them a chance to tie the series.
India, who once again opted to field, allowed New Zealand to reach 314 all out with Martin Guptill top scoring (111).
India, who needed 18 runs of the last over, stuttered to 314 for nine, thanks largely to Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50), Ravichandran Ashwin (65) and Jadeja.
Scoreboard: India vs New Zealand, 3rd ODI
New Zealand:
Martin Guptill c Rahane b Jadeja 111
Jesse Ryder b Kumar 20
Kane Williamson b Mohammed Shami 65
Corey Anderson b Ashwin 8
Ross Taylor run out (Rahane) 17
Brendon McCullum c Ashwin b Aaron 0
Luke Ronchi c Rahane b Jadeja 38
Nathan McCullum run out (Jadeja/Dhawan) 1
Tim Southee run out (Kohli/Dhoni) 27
Mitchell McClenaghan c Jadeja b Mohammed Shami 3
Hamish Bennett not out 3
Extras (lb 10, w 11) 21
Total (all out in 50 overs) 314
Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Ryder, 4.2 overs), 2-189 (Williamson, 32.5), 3-198 (Anderson, 33.5), 4-224 (Guptill, 37.2), 5-230 (BB McCullum, 38.5), 6-270 (Taylor, 42.4), 7-280 (NL McCullum, 43.5), 8-280 (Ronchi, 43.6), 9-288 (McClenaghan, 47.2), 10-314 (Southee, 49.6)
Bowling:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9-0-48-1
Mohammed Shami 10-0-84-2
Varun Aaron 7-0-52-1
Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-47-2
Ravichandran Ashwin 10-0-47-1
Suresh Raina 4-0-26-0
India:
Rohit Sharma c Bennett b Anderson 39
Shikhar Dhawan c Guptill b Anderson 28
Virat Kohli c Ronchi b Bennett 6
Ajinkya Rahane c Ronchi b Anderson 3
Suresh Raina c Ronchi b Southee 31
Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Southee b Anderson 50
Ravichandran Ashwin c Guptill b NL McCullum 65
Ravindra Jadeja not out 66
Bhuvneshwar Kumar c NL McCullum b Bennett 4
Mohammed Shami c Williamson b Anderson 2
Varun Aaron not out 2
Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 14) 18
Total (for nine wickets in 50 overs) 314
Fall of wickets: 1-64 (Dhawan, 9.2 overs), 2-72 (Sharma, 13.1), 3-74 (Kohli, 14.5), 4-79 (Rahane, 17.4), 5-146 (Raina, 27.4), 6-184 (Dhoni, 35.4), 7-269 (Ashwin, 44.5), 8-275 (Kumar, 45.4), 9-286 (Mohammed Shami, 47.5)
Bowling:
Tim Southee 10-0-74-1
Mitchell McClenaghan 10-0-76-0
Hamish Bennett 10-2-41-2
Corey Anderson 10-1-63-5
Kane Williamson 2-0-17-0
Nathan McCullum 8-0-39-1
Match details:
India chose to field
Series: New Zealand lead the 5-match series 2-0
Umpires: Billy Bowden and Rod Tucker
TV umpire: Derek Walker
Match referee: David Boon (Australia)