Late collapse and heavy rain leave India on the backfoot despite Pant and Sarfaraz’s counterpunch

Team India did put in a solid fightback against New Zealand in the earlier half of Day 4, riding high on the heroics of Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan. However, once the duo fell, there was barely anything for the hosts. Starting the day at 231/3, India found themselves battling the early drift from the Kiwi bowlers.

Pant and Khan kept the initial calm, fathoming the surface and once they had their eyes in, it was all about whacking and hammering the ball to the fence. The duo was in solid control, scoring almost close to five runs in an over. Despite the rain playing spoilsport for a while, India kept on driving hard enough.

Khan blasted an incredible 150 from just 195 balls, whacking 18 fours and three sixes while Pant smashed 99 from only 105 balls, clobbering nine fours and five sixes. The duo posted a scintillating partnership of 177 runs and kept the hopes alive until Tim Southee got the better of Khan.

The fall of Sarfaraz opened up the floodgates for New Zealand and with the second new ball coming in, the visitors were merciless as they mopped up the remainder of the resistance without breaking a sweat. India got bowled out for 462, posting a target of 107.

It was the duo of Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke who shared six scalps between them to leave India crippled. Bad light and late rain played spoilsport again as it got dark enough for any more play to happen with the day concluding at New Zealand still to open their account. On the final day of play, India will have to defend 107 runs while New Zealand will only pray for the rains to stay away.

Brief scores:

India - 46 & 462 (Sarfaraz Khan – 150, Will O’Rourke – 3/92)

New Zealand – 402 & 0/0