IND vs NZ ODI LIVE SCORE: New Zealand need 22 from 9 balls, 1 wicket in hand

India vs New Zealand 1st ODI preview: India start their ODI series against New Zealand on Wednesday with the first match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. India come into the series after beating Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODIs while New Zealand defeated Pakistan 2-1 away from home recently.

The home team under Rohit Sharma’s leadership will be hoping for another clean sweep which will lead them to the top spot in the ICC rankings. However, it is not going to be easy and by beating Pakistan in Pakistan, the Kiwis have shown that they are ready to spoil India’s party.

Meanwhile, India are without the services of KL Rahul who has been rested due to family commitments. Axar Patel will also be out of the squad owing to personal reasons. Ishan Kishan will bat in the middle order, Rohit confirmed earlier. Also, Suryakumar Yadav is expected to play in place of Shreyas Iyer who has been ruled out of the ODI series due to a back injury.

India will have quite a new-look batting order as against the one that thumped Sri Lanka. New Zealand, on the contrary, will also be without some of the bigger faces.

First things first, skipper Kane Williamson will not be playing, and so is Tim Southee.  Apparently, the duo went back home to be rested properly before the important Test series against New Zealand that starts mid-February. Coach Gary Stead has also been given a break.

It is expected to be a cracking contest!

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Doug Bracewell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.