Mount Maunganui: KL Rahul's century went in vain as New Zealand thrashed India by five wickets in the third and final ODI and completed a 3-0 whitewash at the Bay Oval, here on Tuesday.India had last been whitewashed in a 3-match ODI series in 1997 against Sri Lanka. Before that, in 1989, India had been whitewashed 5-0 by the West Indies.
Rahul helped India recover from a shaky start to post a challenging 296 for 7 but the Kiwis overhauled the target with 17 balls to spare. Needing 297 runs to win, the Kiwis were off to a confident start in their chase with Martin Guptill (66) and Henry Nicholls (80) and putting on a 106-run stand. However, wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took three wickets to bring India back in the game.
Colin de Grandhomme (58) and Tom Latham (32), though, took their side past the finish line with an unbeaten 80-run partnership.
Brief Scores:
India: 296 for 7 in 50 overs (KL Rahul 112, Shreyas Iyer 62; Hamish Bennett 4/64).
New Zealand: 300 for 5 in 47.1 overs. (H Nocholls 80, M Guptill 66; Y Chahal 3/47).