India suffered a crushing 244-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth ODI at Bay Oval on Friday, marking the second-largest margin of defeat by runs in the team's history. Chasing a target of 334, the visitors were dismantled for just 89 runs, falling only one run short of the unwanted record set against Sri Lanka in 2000.
The result keeps the five-match series alive at 2-1 in favor of India, with the final encounter scheduled for Sunday at the same venue. New Zealand’s victory was spearheaded by a clinical bowling display from Matt Henry, who decimated the top order early in the innings to set the tone for the remainder of the match.
Henry's Opening Burst Sets the Tone
The Indian chase began in catastrophic fashion as Matt Henry struck three times in the very first over. The pacer removed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, leaving the visitors reeling at 0/3. The collapse continued as Ruturaj Gaikwad departed shortly after, placing immense pressure on the middle order.
Ishan Kishan provided some resistance with 27 runs, while Axar Patel contributed 21 in a 44-run partnership. Naman Dhir added a quick 21, but the damage was already done. Henry returned to the attack to claim three more wickets, finishing with a haul of six as India were dismissed for their sixth-lowest total in ODI cricket.
Young Leads New Zealand to Commanding Total
Earlier in the day, Will Young anchored the New Zealand innings with a career-best 125 off 108 balls. The 33-year-old, who had struggled in the opening two matches, capitalized on two early dropped catches in the second over to register his fifth ODI century. His innings was well-supported by Tim Seifert, who contributed 58, and Finn Allen, who chipped in with 41.
India’s bowling attack, featuring two wickets apiece from Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar, and Auqib Nabi, struggled to contain the hosts throughout the innings. The visitors were once again without captain Shubman Gill and batter KL Rahul, both of whom have been ruled out of the final match to focus on the upcoming two-Test series beginning Wednesday.
