New Zealand came out strongly in the fourth ODI to register a massive 244-run victory over India at Bay Oval on Friday. Having lost the opening two matches, and the third match abandoned due to rain, the Blackcaps were under massive pressure. However, they bounced back at the right time to keep their hopes alive in the five-match series.
After being asked to bat, New Zealand made excellent use of the opportunity, posting a big total of 333 runs.
India, meanwhile, endured a disastrous start to their chase with New Zealand pacer Matt Henry delivering a devastating opening spell, dismissing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and captain Shreyas Iyer in the very first over. After suffering an early jolt, India were under the pump in their chase, and their batters struggled to find a way back into the match. Speaking on India’s performance, former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik highlighted India’s middle-order issue that has now become increasingly difficult to ignore.
"We did get blown away, and I don't think that much could have been done about this game. But in all three ODIs, India's batting, the middle order, has been a bit vulnerable, and that is something India will look at. We have wobbled while chasing the scores that New Zealand have set. We got saved by rain in one game. In the first game, we looked comfortable until we lost a few wickets in a heap," Dinesh Karthik said during a discussion on Cricbuzz.
Notably, in the first two games, India had managed to clinch convincing wins, taking a 2-0 lead. But for New Zealand, the victory in the fourth game was much-needed in order to possess the hope to level the series. The firth and final ODI will be held on Sunday at Bay Oval.