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WELLINGTON, Jan 8: Paceman Zaheer Khan made decisive contributions with both bat and ball for India who secured a long-awaited victory in the one-day series against New Zealand on Wednesday.
Zaheer followed up his three for 30 with an unbeaten 34 to steer the tourists home by two wickets with over five overs to spare in the fifth match. New Zealand lead the best-of-seven series 4-1.
The home side were bowled out for 168 in 42.4 overs, India replying with 169 for eight.
Zaheer, who rode his luck during an innings full of aggression, added 44 for the eighth wicket with Youvraj Singh (54), who hit a well-crafted half-century before falling to Daniel Vettori with nine runs needed for for India’s first victory on the current tour.
Opener Virender Sehwag hit a speedy 45 at the top of the innings but he was the only other Indian to reach double figures. Sachin Tendulkar, making his debut in the series after recovering from an ankle injury, fell for a duck after being trapped leg before by Shane Bond.
New Zealand recovered from a torrid start after they lost their first three wickets for just three runs.
Zaheer was the chief destroyer, removing Nathan Astle and Mathew Sinclair off successive balls for ducks in his first over, then sending back Chris Harris leg before in his next.
A middle-order rally gave the innings some momentum, with good contributions coming from Andre Adams (35), Brendon McCullum (35) and Chris Cairns (25), playing his first One-day International since pulling up with knee problems in the first Test against England a year ago.
Scoreboard
NEW ZEALAND:
S.P. Fleming c Dravid b Nehra 19
N.J. Astle lbw b Zaheer 0
M.S. Sinclair b Zaheer 0
C.Z. Harris lbw b Zaheer 1
C.L. Cairns b Srinath 25
S.B. Styris b Nehra 13
B.B. McCullum b Kumble 35
A.R. Adams c Kaif b Ganguly 35
D.L. Vettori not out 16
D.R. Tuffey b Srinath 4
S.E. Bond lbw b Kumble 0
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-7, W-3, NB-6) 20
TOTAL (all out, 42.4 overs) 168
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-0, 3-3, 4-48, 5-51, 6-92, 7-140, 8-158, 9-167.
BOWLING: Srinath 10-2-24-2 (3w); Zaheer Khan 8-0-30-3 (1nb); Nehra 9-1-38-2; Kumble 9.4-0-38-2 (4nb); Ganguly 6-0-27-1 (1nb).
INDIA:
S.C. Ganguly c McCullum b Tuffey 0
V. Sehwag c Fleming b Styris 45
D. Mongia b Bond 2
S.R. Tendulkar lbw b Bond 0
R.S. Dravid c McCullum b Styris 7
Yuvraj Singh c Harris b Vettori 54
Mohammad Kaif c Fleming b Adams 1
A.R. Kumble hit wkt b Adams 2
Zaheer Khan not out 34
J. Srinath not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-16, NB-2) 23
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 44.2 overs) 169
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-19, 3-24, 4-66, 5-91, 6-114, 7-116, 8-160.
DID NOT BAT: A. Nehra.
BOWLING: Tuffey 10-2-40-1 (2nb, 4w); Bond 10-0-34-2 (9w); Adams 9.2-0-47-2 (3w); Styris 9-1-29-2; Vettori 5-1-14-1.
RESULT: India won by two wickets.
UMPIRES: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand) and D.J. Harper (Australia).
TV UMPIRE: D.B. Cowie (New Zealand).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Zaheer Khan.
NEXT MATCH: Auckland (D/N), Saturday.—Reuters
