New Zealand batsmen showed clinical efficiency in a tricky chase to spoil Virat Kohli’s milestone match with a comfortable six-wicket victory over India in the opening one-day international on Sunday.
For the 'Black Caps', young gun Tom Latham (103*) and senior pro Ross Taylor (95) batted with lot of purpose, chasing down a target of 281 in 49 overs with minimum fuss.
New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0.
This was after Virat Kohli showed his class with a gutsy 31st hundred in his 200th ODI in energy-sapping conditions to take India to 280 for 8 in 50 overs. None of the other Indian batsmen even crossed 40-run mark.
During New Zealand's chase, Taylor and Latham came together at 80 for 3 with India trying drive home the advantage but their 200-run stand for the fourth wicket proved to be a clincher in the end.
The Indian bowling attack didn't have a plan B despite the wicket being not so conducive for batting.
The best part about the New Zealand run-chase was that they achieved the target without taking undue risks.
Taylor faced 100 balls hitting eight boundaries while Latham hit eight fours and two sixes in 102 deliveries scoring his fourth ODI hundred.
Earlier, skipper Kohli made it a memorable 200th ODI with a record breaking century in demanding conditions to guide India to respectable 280 for 8.
Kohli mixed caution with aggression hitting 121 off 125 balls - his 31st hundred in the ODI format, that took him past former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as the second highest ton-getter in this format. Only Sachin Tendulkar with 49 hundreds is ahead of him.
The skipper was lucky to get a reprieve on 29, after Mitchell Santner dropped a straight forward chance at cover off De Grandhomme.
There was no looking back for the Indian skipper after that as he punished pacer Adam Milne, hitting him for a six over long leg.
But it was Trent Boult who gave the Kiwis early breakthroughs, removing Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma cheaply on a Wankhede pitch which had spongy bounce and ball was holding up a bit, according to a PTI report.