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Amit Mishra produced a magical spell to send New Zealand crashing for a lowly 79 as India won by a massive margin of 190 runs to clinch the five-match series 3-2, in the fifth and final One-Day International in Visakhapatnam, on Saturday.
- Scorecard
Mishra claimed magnificent figures of five for 18 as New Zealand were bundled out in only 23.1 overs, losing their last eight wickets for the addition of just 16 runs in the space of 51 balls.
Batting first, India scored 269 for six on a surface where scoring was difficult as Rohit Sharma (70) and Virat Kohli (65) hit half-centuries.
It was a perfect Diwali gift for the Indian cricket fans as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men carried the demolition job in style as the spinners made Black Caps' succumbed to their lowest-ever total against India in ODIs.
There were five New Zealand batsman who failed to open their account during their dismal last day on Indian soil.
Mishra, who picked his second five-for was supported well by Axar Patel (2-9 in 4.1 overs) and debutant Jayant Yadav (1-8 in 4 overs).
The leg-spinner, who did not get a chance during the Test series, ended up with 15 wickets in the five-match series. Not only did his performance fetch him Man of the Match but also the Man of the Series award pipping Virat Kohli, who scored 358 runs with a century and two half-tons.
A score of 270 on a surface where the ball wasn't coming onto the bat would have been a challenge but New Zealand would have hardly imagined that wickets will fall in a heap when they were looking good at one stage on 63 for two.
It took five balls for the Kiwis to realise that the road ahead is rocky when Umesh Yadav cleaned up last match's hero Martin Guptill in the very first over.
Fresh from his match-winning 72 in Ranchi, Guptill was done in a by a beautiful good length ball from Yadav as it squared him up before crashing into his stumps.
Skipper Kane Williamson and New Zealand's most consistent batsman of the series, Tom Latham (19) tried to build a partnership but before they could settle down a fit-again Jasprit Bumrah gave another breakthrough dismissing the left-hander to end a 28-run partnership.
On a pitch that offered turn, Dhoni brought on left-arm spinner Axar in the ninth over as Williamson and Taylor survived some anxious moments in the middle and progressed at steady pace to being 46-2 in 10 overs.
The introduction of spinners from both ends saw New Zealand suffer a horror batting collapse.
It was Patel who broke Kiwi's best partnership of the day that yielded 38 runs when the left-arm spinner dismissed Kane Williamson for 27, caught at long-off.
In the very next over Mishra took the wickets of Ross Taylor, caught behind for 19, while BJ Watling was done in by the googly and was bowled for a duck.
Debutant Jayant trapped Corey Anderson leg before wicket for a duck to register his first wicket in ODIs.
Mishra continued his wicket ways as he bagged another couple of wickets in a single over, in the form of James Neesham (3) and Tim Southee (0) in the 20th over to leave New Zealand tottering on 74-8.
The lower order hardly offered any resistance as Ish Sodhi top edge trying to slog sweep Mishra to be caught for a duck, while Santner was bowled by Axar for four as the Kiwis surrendered tamely against the Indian spinners.
Earlier, Kohli and Rohit hit contrasting half-centuries on a slow track as India managed a decent 269 for 6 after opting to bat first.
After failure in the first four games, Rohit was in his element hitting 70 off 65 balls before he was bothered by injury in the latter part of his innings, while Kohli had to fight for his runs on a track that got slower with every over, managing 65 off 76 balls.
Kohli, who finished on top of the run charts in the five match series with 358 runs from five matches at an average of 119.33, was dismissed by leg-spinner Ish Sodhi (2-66) for the second time in succession when he tried to step out by only to be caught at long-off.
The Indian vice-captain was involved in two crucial 50-plus partnerships, first with Sharma and then with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (41) but the hosts lost three wickets for 30 runs with score of 220 for 5.
Manish Pandey got out for a duck but they averted danger with Kedar Jadhav staying on till the end, scoring an unbeaten 39 from 37 balls.
He along with Axar Patel (24 from 18 balls) put together 46 from 39 to ensure that India got past the 250-run mark.
Rohit, the ODI world record holder for highest individual score, was back in his usual explosive best slamming five boundaries and three sixes and had everything going in his way before a muscle cramp came in his way.
Rohit looked menacing during his time at the crease, Kohli was happy to play a second fiddle and rotated the strike on a slow track in an entertaining 79 partnership from 76 balls.
After Rohit was dismissed, Kohli was involved in another crucial 71-run stand with Dhoni before the skipper was adjudged leg before wicket by debutant Indian umpire CK Nandan.
Sticking to No 4, Dhoni had a terrible start to his innings with five runs from 17 balls, and his first boundary came after 25 balls. Slowly he made up for the dot balls with four boundaries and one six but before he along with Kohli could make it big India lost three wickets in 30 runs.
Youngster Manish Pandey played a reckless slog sweep off Sodhi to be caught in the deep for a duck and Kohli perished a few overs later before the lower order hung around to score some quick runs at the end.