India won the 1st ODI of 5 match series by 6 wickets and with 101 balls to spare as Virat ensured to stay till the end in chasing a below par score on a good batting pitch in Dharamshala. It was the hosts who elected to ball on winning the toss and Pandya was awarded his first ODI cap in the opener as India went with two spin attack same as the visitors with giving a rest to Boult and Henry.
The innings hadn't started well for the visitors as expected as Guptill looked tentative against pandya in his first over and he could only outside edge the last ball which held it's line tough starter. On the other end Umesh proved to be more reliable with his lines probing the batsmen around the off stump but in the way Williamson couldn't clear Misra at third man in playing an rare width delivery offered by Umesh. Later Ross Taylor couldn't keep away a good ball first up from Umesh who could only edge it to Dhoni.
Hardik Pandya came with more pace as a surprise and he is lucky enough to pick Anderson and Ronchi who couldn't keep the ball down the ground. While Bumah chipped in with quite overs alongside the new ball bowlers as Latham played quite watchful shots at one end with wickets falling at the other end. The Kiwis struggled throughout the innings at a stage India looked to wrap up the visitors below 100, but at the end it was the partnership between Latham and Southee that made them to post some runs on the board as Misra wrapped up the innings with 3 wickets.
Later on India started to the chase a below par score of 190 with easing the movement of the new ball where Rohit and Rahane are circumspect early on but Rohit couldn't make up the runs as he missed a full length ball angling in from Bracewell at the end of the powerplay. While Rahane within a couple of overs span edged an outswinger from Nesham to wicketkeeper in trying to run the ball to the third man.
Meanwhile Pandey who walked at no.4 as looked busy alongside Virat in roaring the strike but could only find Williamson in playing a short ball of Sodhi after a good start. Dhoni who joined later with Virat played some shots of the short deliveries with ease which the Kiwis wanted to test him in that region. In the process Virat completed his half century and made things quite easy as he ended on 85* in finishing the innings with a six.
At the end it can be said as batting collapse from visitors who can't post a challenging target and thanks to some fight from Latham and Southee ensuring with some runs to defend, but it was all too easy for the chasing machine who stayed till the end. Although much credit goes to the inexperienced bowling unit to warping up the visitors under 200.
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