INDORE: Blazing centuries from skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill powered India to a 3-0 series sweep of New Zealand and go top of the One-day International rankings here at the Holkar Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

The hosts hammered the Kiwis by 90 runs in the third match in Indore after Rohit (101) and Gill (112) put on 212 for the opening wicket to guide the hosts to 385-9.

In reply, Devon Conway’s 138 was in vain as India bowled out New Zealand for 295 in 41.2 overs for their second successive whitewash.

The victory takes India to the top of the ODI rankings ahead of World Cup holders England and New Zealand who slip from second to fourth behind Australia.

Qualification for the World Cup in India later in the year is unaffected, however, as the Kiwis have already qualified.

But Rohit, who recorded his first ODI century since January 2020, and Gill stood out in the highest opening partnership by any team against the Kiwis in ODIs, surpassing the 201-run stand of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in 2009.

Rohit’s side whitewashed Sri Lan­ka in three matches before this series.

Fast bowler Shardul Thakur was named man-of-the-match for his three wickets and crucial 25 runs.

New Zealand’s bowlers hit back after the pair’s departure as India slipped to 293-5 before Hardik Pandya took charge (38-ball 54).

It all started with Gill smashing Lockie Ferguson for four fours and a six in a 22-run eighth over and Rohit joined party with a few big hits.

Gill recorded his third 100-plus score in his last four ODI innings.

Michael Bracewell bowled Rohit and Blair Tickner sent back Gill in the next over and India soon lost regular wickets, despite a brisk 36 from Virat Kohli.

Ishan Kishan was run out after a mix-up with Kohli, who soon fell to Jacob Duffy. Pandya put on 54 for the seventh wicket with Thakur.

In reply, New Zealand lost Finn Allen (0) on the second delivery after Pandya bowled the opener.

Conway added 106 for the second wicket with Henry Nicholls (42), and 78 for the third with Daryl Mitchell (24). The left-handed Conway raised his third ODI hundred with a six off leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Thakur dented New Zealand’s chase when he struck twice with successive deliveries, Mitchell caught behind and then skipper Tom Latham caught at mid-off.

Conway, who smashed 12 fours and eight sixes in his 100-ball blitz, was dismissed by Umran Malik, caught at mid-wicket.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA:

R. Sharma b Bracewell 101

S. Gill c Conway b Tickner 112

V. Kohli c Allen b Duffy 36

I. Kishan run out 17

S. Yadav c Conway b Duffy 14

H. Pandya c Conway b Duffy 54

W. Sundar c Mitchell b Tickner 9

S. Thakur c Latham b Tickner 25

K. Yadav run out 3

U. Malik not out 2

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-1, W-6) 12

TOTAL (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 385

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-212 (Sharma), 2-230 (Gill), 3-268 (Kishan), 4-284 (Kohli), 5-293 (S. Yadav), 6-313 (Sundar), 7-367 (Thakur), 8-379 (Pandya), 9-385 (K. Yadav)

DID NOT BAT: Y. Chahal

BOWLING: Duffy 10-0-100-3 (1w), Ferguson 10-1-53-0 (2w), Tickner 10-0-76-3 (1w), Santner 10-0-58-0 (1w), Mitchell 4-0-41-0 (1w), Bracewell 6-0-51-1

NEW ZEALAND:

F. Allen b Pandya 0

D. Conway c Sharma b Malik 138

H. Nicholls lbw K. Yadav 42

D. Mitchell c Kishan b Thakur 24

T. Latham c Pandya b Thakur 0

G. Phillips c Kohli b Thakur 5

M. Bracewell st Kishan b K. Yadav 26

M. Santner c Kohli b Chahal 34

L. Ferguson c Sharma b K. Yadav 7

J. Duffy lbw Chaha l0

B. Tickner not out 0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-5, W-12) 19

TOTAL (all out, 41.2 overs) 295

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Allen), 2-106 (Nicholls), 3-184 (Mitchell), 4-184 (Latham), 5-200 (Phillips), 6-230 (Conway), 7-269 (Bracewell), 8-279 (Ferguson), 9-280 (Duffy)

BOWLING: Pandya 6-0-37-1 (3w), Sundar 6-0-49-0 (1w), Thakur 6-0-45-3 (1w), Malik 7-0-52-1 (2w), K. Yadav 9-0-62-3 (2w), Chahal 7.2-0-43-2

RESULT: India won by 90 runs.

SERIES: India won the three-match series 3-0.Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2023