MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (AP) — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli again were dismissed cheaply as New Zealand bowled out India for 209 after winning the toss Sunday in the fifth one-day cricket international at Bay Oval.
The match was played on the same pitch on which New Zealand dismissed India for 89 in the fourth match of the series two days ago. Rohit and Virat both were dismissed in the first over of the India innings in that match, leading to India’s defeat by 244 runs.
Sharma was out for 7 and Kohli for 5 on Sunday as India struggled on a used pitch on which the ball held up at times and turned. Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel 46 both made 46 to give some substance to the India innings.
India leads the five-match series 2-1 and New Zealand needs to win Sunday to avoid its first ODI series loss at home in seven years.
Rohit was out to a ball from the young pacer Matt Fisher which held up and which he pushed directly to Dean Foxcroft at short midwicket.
Virat was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, playing extravagantly at a ball from Fisher which took an outside edge and flew wide of Seifert who claimed the catch diving full-length.
Rutaraj Gaekwad (18) was also caught by Seifert off an inside edge to a ball from Jacob Duffy.
Axar was reprieved early in his innings, dropped by Foxcroft off Duffy, and went on to make his 46 from 55 balls with five fours and a six.
In sight of a half century, he played too hard at a ball from Mark Bracewell which stopped and was chipped comfortably to Will Young at mid-on.
Naman Dhir looked dangerous briefly before being caught by Nick Kelly off Mitch Santner for 22. Santner had only bowled a handful of overs across the T20 and ODI series but bowled all 10 Sunday and took 3-47.
Kishan holed out to deep third man off Duffy after hitting three fours and two sixes. Duffy took 3-60.
Arshdeep Singh provided some fireworks in a partnership of 26 for the last wicket with Mohammad Siraj. Both made 14 and hit three sixes between them.
Santner won the toss for only the second time in 10 matches across the T20 and ODI series.
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