Hardik Pandya turned up big at the crucial stage against New Zealand in the third ODI. The flamboyant all-rounder put the Indian innings back on track after a mini middle-order collapse. Hardik took charge in the rebuilding phase to help India finish on a high and post a mammoth 385/9 in 50 overs at Holkar Stadium.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill set the platform for a big score with a sensational 212-run opening stand but the middle-order failed to live up to the expectations. Virat Kohli (36), Ishan Kishan (17) and Suryakumar Yadav (14) failed to convert their good starts into a big scores as India lost wickets at regular intervals in middle-over.
India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI Live Score And Updates
However, Pandya stood tall and scored 54 runs off 38 balls as his knock was laced with three fours and as many sixes. He was dismissed in the penultimate over by Jacob Duffy in an attempt to hit a big shot.
The fans on Twitter heaped huge praise on Pandya for his clean-hitting at the business end of the innings.
Brilliant innings from Hardik Pandya. Well deserved half century 👏🏻— Vinod Iyer (@IyerVinodS) January 24, 2023
India’s Middle order collpasingLe Hardik Pandya : #INDvNZ #IndvsNZ pic.twitter.com/hkdCc8beK2— Nidhi Surana (@Nids_surana) January 24, 2023
Fifty by Hardik Pandya in 36 balls - a brilliant innings by Hardik, a great finishing touch by him.— CricKom (@Deepans23952324) January 24, 2023
I’m jealous of how deep Hardik Pandya can get back in the Box— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) January 24, 2023
Hardik Pandya pic.twitter.com/h9eSrm8DyF— Gagan Tipparaju (@gantai1312) January 24, 2023
Earlier, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma slammed sublime centuries to set the platform for a big score in Indore.
Gill, who slammed a sensational double century in the first ODI, ended the series on a high with a 112-run knock. He looked in imperious form during his magnificent knock which was laced with 13 fours and 5 sixes.
While skipper Rohit Sharma also ended his 3-year-long century drought in ODIs with his majestic 101-run knock.
Blair Tickner (3-76) and Jacob Duffy (3-100) were the Michael Bracewell (1/51) were the wicket-takers for Black Caps.
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