- Scorecard: New Zealand vs India, 3rd ODI
Sachin Tendulkar's 43rd one-day international century hoisted India to a 2-0 series lead over New Zealand with a 58-run victory in the third One-Day International in Christchurch on Sunday.
Exploiting the short boundaries at Lancaster Park, Tendulkar stroked his way to 163 before he was forced to retire hurt after apparently pulling a stomach muscle, though he managed to guide his side to an imposing 392 for four off 50 overs.
New Zealand began their chase enthusiastically with openers Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum putting on 166 for the first wicket before Ryder called the stand-in captain through for a suicidal single in the 22nd over and McCullum was run out for 71.
Ryder moved to his first one day century, which included 12 boundaries and four sixes, before Ross Taylor absentmindedly left his ground and was run out for seven and Martin Guptill was trapped in front by Yuvraj Singh for one.
The home side slumped to 188 for four when Ryder holed out in the deep for 105, leaving the last recognised pairing of Grant Elliott and Jacob Oram at the crease.
Oram, however, was bowled by Harbhajan for seven and Zaheer Khan bowled Elliott (18) and Peter McGlashan (seven) in three balls to effectively end the run chase in the 34th over.
Kyle Mills (54) Tim Southee (32) and Ian Butler (24) extracted some revenge on the Indians for their own treatment with some lusty blows at the end of the innings, with Mills and Southee combining for an 83-run ninth-wicket in seven overs.
Such was their onslaught, Munaf Patel was removed from the bowling crease by umpire Rudi Koertzen after he lost his control and bowled two deliveries above the batsmen's waist.
Mills holed out to replacement bowler Yusuf Pathan and Southee was out on the first ball of the next over.
Earlier, Tendulkar smashed 16 boundaries and five sixes and shared a brutal 138-run partnership with Yuvraj (87) and a 135-run stand with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (68) to help India post the highest one day score in New Zealand.
It surpassed the 350 for nine the Black Caps scored against Australia in Hamilton in Feb. 2007.
The two sides also combined to hit 31 sixes, the most in a one-day international.
New Zealand's attack was hampered by the absence of captain Daniel Vettori, who missed the game to attend the birth of his first child in Auckland, and a muscle strain suffered by Butler after he had bowled just five overs.
Southee conceded 105 runs off his 10 overs.
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