IND vs NZ

9:56 PM local time and IST: Quite befittingly, Daryl Mitchell is the Player of the Match! So, the series is level! Yes, we are going into the decider on Sunday, with a lot of interest now! New Zealand have played brilliant cricket up to now in the series, with a relatively young and inexperienced team. India's pride has been hurt though, with this loss. So, we can expect them to come strong, come the 3rd game. The first ball is to be bowled at 1:30 PM local time. For now, this is the pair of Sourabh and Bidipto taking your leave. Keep following Sportskeeda! 

Daryl Mitchell (Player of the Match, 131* match-winning runs off 117 balls): "It's really nice to get the win! We've not won here for some time, so, with a young team, to get this done, is pretty special! Always happy and willing to contribute for the team! Will Young is a class player! Once he got going, he made sure to get on with things and help me settle in! Enjoyed batting with him! Kuldeep Yadav is one of the best spinners in the world, so, to keep him at bay is terrific! We wish to get another one in on the right side of the ledger! The form is good, and we hope to cash in on it." 

Michael Bracewell (New Zealand Captain): "Pretty complete performance from us and proud of the group's effort. We were very happy at the halfway mark. Everyone really bowled well, typical Kiwi performance with the ball. They (Indian bowlers) bowled really well in the powerplay, the way the guys out there adapted and soaked up the pressure was outstanding. The way they were able to apply the pressure later on, Young and Mitchell, took the game away from India. (if there was a plan to take on Kuldeep Yadav) No, we back the guys to go out there and read what is in front of them and they obvisouly did that beautifully tonight. Wanted to put their spinner under pressure but it was not something we spoke about. We pride ourselves on being adaptable and reading what is in front of us and taking the game forward. Jayden bowled beautifully, never easy coming here and making your debut and even more you bowl in the powerplay. It looked like he had played a lot of games."

Shubman Gill (India captain): "I think we couldn't pick up any wickets in the middle-overs. With five fielders in, if wickets don't fall in the middle, it gets really difficult later on. On these kind of wickets, once there is a partnership, the batters need to keep going. Because it doesn't get any easier for the batters coming in to get going straightaway. But our bowlers started brilliantly! The problem was that we could not take wickets in the middle. We could have been more brave with the ball during that phase. We're always trying to get better in the field, but, if you don't take your chances, it hurts later on!" 

Will Young: "Hugely satisfying (on a personal note) but more satisfying to get the win. Was great to get the partnership with Daryl, we kept each other going and set it up for the finish in the end. (on facing up against Kuldeep) India have got two great spinners in Jadeja and Kuldeep, the first challenge was against Jadeja and I got in a bit of a flow there. When Kuldeep came in the required rate was 7 and we thought it was an opportunity to get some runs. (If he knew it was a record chase for NZ in India) Not at all, we did not know that it was a record chase.When we got to 300 in the first game, we thought 285 was a nice number. Timed the chase pretty well in the end. (On the partnership) You go through different stages in a partnership, it is all about communicating and bounce ideas off each other. (on his recent form in India) Have been working hard but unfortunately that is cricket, it does not go your way all the time. The BlackCaps have not won an ODI series here in India and and we came close in the first game and as I said to get that partnership with Mitchell. To play here in India, in front of packed stands, it is really incredible, it is the home of cricket."

9:27 PM local time and IST: New Zealand win by 7 wickets with 15 balls to spare, and level the series 1-1! 

Daryl Mitchell 131* (117) | Kristian Clarke - 3/56 (8)
KL Rahul 112* (92) | Prasidh Krishna - 1/49 (9)

What a win! New Zealand were brilliant in the first game, but a few missed opportunities here and there cost them the game in Vadodara. Today though, even with a side that's not equally strong on paper, they made no mistake and got the job done!

It was a tough beginning to the innings, one must say! Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj made life as tough as it could get for the batters up front and Prasidh Krishna followed it up nicely as well! For the first 20 overs, it was all India!

But after that, Daryl Mitchell's presence at the crease, and the occupation of the crease by Will Young, ensured a partnership, that just kept building and building! Mitchell was as good as ever, being the batter in form, and Young was on song when the runs started coming!

Obviously, India threw whatever they could at the batters, but, New Zealand had answers to them all! The partnership went past 100, and India started to wither.

There were a couple of chances that Kuldeep created, but India could not hold on. Shubman Gill's captaincy got tested, but he could not quite come up with something that proactive or inspiring tonight!

Yes the wicket of Will Young did come, but Glenn Phillips made sure that no further damage was done! It was yet another strong, 50-run stand and more, for the 4th wicket, that did not flinch one bit!

Mitchell went on to score his 3rd ODI century against India, but this time, he brought it up in a winning cause! 

He soaked up pressure first, kept the strike rotated, took those twos when necessary, and of course, hit quite a few important fours and sixes! When you are in form, you don't throw it away and Mitchell just gave us an example of that! 

There was no dew to upset calculations tonight, and still, India were unable to defend the runs after starting strong in this innings! 

So, New Zealand register their highest ever run chase in ODIs in India and keep the series alive, by taking it to a decider on Sunday in Indore! 

47.3 Harshit Rana to Daryl Mitchell, MITCHELL GETS THE WIN WITH A FOUR AND ENDS UP ON THE TURF! He is absolutely spent, there is sweat dripping from all over his body but he has got the job done and he will be mighty proud of himself here. Walks across outside off, short of a length delivery and laps it over the keeper for a boundary, loses his balance and takes a tumble but it does not matter. New Zealand complete their highest run chase in ODIs in India and level the series at 1-1!

47.2 Harshit Rana to Daryl Mitchell, slower one at the stumps, dinked between long-on and deep mid-wicket and this time Mitchell calls Phillips through for two

47.1 Harshit Rana to Glenn Phillips, hooks this one away now to deep backward square leg. Phillips wanted to come back for two but Mitchell had no interest at all, he is running out of breath here having batted all this while

Harshit Rana [9.0-1-45-1] comes back into the attack.

One big hit and it's over for the match! New Zealand have been breathtaking with the bat tonight! And Daryl Mitchell is the architect of that! 

46.6 Prasidh Krishna to Glenn Phillips, pulls this short one all along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single and keeps the strike. Just 6 needed now, will Phillips look to finish it with one strike?

46.5 Prasidh Krishna to Glenn Phillips, back of a length at the stumps, Phillips drops it with soft hands towards the mid-wicket region and he calls two immediately. Jadeja sprinted in but still could not prevent the two, that was very well weghed from Phillips and ended inside the 30-yard circle when Jadeja picked it up

46.4 Prasidh Krishna to Glenn Phillips, short of a length at the stumps, Phillips shuffles a touch and tucks it to mid-wicket in the ring. No run

46.3 Prasidh Krishna to Daryl Mitchell, off cutter, just short of the blockhole and Mitchell pumps it back at Prasidh with brute force. He does well to get his hands up and the ball just bursts through them, that will hurt. Kohli in the deep mops up