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India crushed New Zealand by eight wickets in the fifth and final One-Day International, to complete a 5-0 series whitewash, at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai, on Friday.
India cruised to 107 for two in 21.1 overs after New Zealand were bowled out for 103 to win with 28.5 overs to spare in a one-sided contest on a turning wicket.
Parthiv Patel anchored the run-chase with a steady knock of 56 from 70 balls, while Yuvraj Singh stroked 42 from 46 balls as the two batsmen put on an unbroken stand of 97 runs in 107 balls for the third wicket to take India home.
New Zealand returned home with a single victory in the Indian tour, having earlier lost the Test series 1-0. The Kiwis suffered a clean sweep for the second consecutive series, having earlier lost 5-0 in the ODI series in Bangladesh and the selectors will have a lot of thinking to do ahead of the World Cup.
The Indian innings also didn't get off to a good start. Captain Gautam Gambhir was caught behind for a duck off Nathan McCullum in the first over, while Daniel Vettori got Virat Kohli caught at first slip for two.
Earlier, R Ashwin claimed three wickets to bowl out New Zealand for a paltry 103 in 27 overs.
The Indian spinners -- Ashwin, Yusuf Pathan and Yuvraj Singh -- wreaked havoc on a pitch offering a great deal of assistance to the slow bowlers, claiming seven wickets for 40 runs in 13 overs bowled between them.
New Zealand, who were bowled out for their lowest ever score in ODIs against India, were completely at sea against the Indian spinners, losing their last seven wickets for 32 runs in the space of nine overs.
Ashwin, playing his first game in front of his home fans, starred with the ball as he took three for 24 in eight overs. Ashish Nehra did the early damage with the new ball as he took two for 34, while spinners Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan claimed two for five and two for 11 respectively.
Scott Styris was the top-scorer for New Zealand with 24 from 45 balls, as he put on 43 runs for the fourth wicket with Jamie How, who made 23, but the rest of the batsmen gave their wickets away tamely.
New Zealand:
Praveen Kumar gave India the perfect start when he struck in the first over of the match. Martin Guptill edged an outgoing delivery to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel for a duck.
Brendon McCullum showed his aggressive intent by carting Ashish Nehra for three boundaries in the next over. But the veteran pacer had the last laugh when he trapped McCullum leg before wicket for 14 as he walked across his stumps and tried to play it on the leg side but missed.
Ross Taylor, struggling for runs in this tour, started off in style with a couple of sweetly timed boundaries. But once again, he gave his wicket away with a rather reckless shot. The right-hander tried to pull a short delivery from Nehra but only managed to glove it behind to wicketkeeper Patel for nine.
Jamie How, who also failed in the three previous innings in the series, looked to adopt a positive as he hit three fours in his 13 to take the total to 47 for three in ten overs.
R Ashwin made a good start with the ball and was getting plenty of assistance even though the conditions above were overcast. Captain Gautam Gambhir was quick to react as he brought on Yuvraj Singh from the other end and the move paid off.
How played all over a straight delivery from Yuvraj trying to play it on the leg side but missed and was bowled for 23.
Ashwin made it worse for them when he trapped Scott Styris leg before wicket for 24. The veteran tried to play the sweep but was beaten all ends up by the carrom ball from Ashwin that was a bit quicker and straightened after pitching.
Yuvraj then claimed another wicket when he trapped Grant Elliott leg before wicket for a duck as the visitors slipped to 76 for six in 20 overs.
Gambhir once again showed great presence of mind when he brought on Yusuf Patel against the two left-handed batsmen (James Franklin and Daniel Vettori) to replace Yuvraj, who had claimed two wickets in two overs.
The move worked as Pathan claimed the wicket of Daniel Vettori, who was beaten by one that turned sharply and was caught at first slip for nine. The part-time off-spinner then bagged another wicket when he had Nathan McCullum (1) caught at first slip, despite the ball going off his right arm.
Ashwin then finished off the innings, taking the wickets of Kyle Mills (4) and Tim Southee (0) in his eighth over to finish with remarkable figures of three for 24.
India:
Having seen the carnage caused by the Indian spinners, New Zealand started with spin straightaway in the form of Nathan McCullum and Daniel Vettori.
Nathan McCullum gave them the ideal start when he got Gambhir caught behind for a duck in the first over of the innings. However, closer looks at the replays showed that the left-hander was unlucky to be given out by English umpire Richard Kettleborough as the ball had clearly missed the bat.
Virat Kohli also struggled to come to terms with the pitch before he edged Vettori and was caught at first slip for two.
Yuvraj Singh was lucky that his edge just flew past the first slip fielder for a boundary through the thirdman region. Parthiv Patel got his first boundary when he drove a full delivery from McCullum through the covers, in the seventh over.
Yuvraj looked keen on attacking at every opportunity and not letting the spinners settle down. He lofted Styris over the covers for his second boundary to take the total to 30 for two in eight overs.
In what could be a major blunder by captain Vettori, the Kiwis finally brought on their fast bowlers with Kyle Mills introduced in the ninth over. The pacer was hit for two fours by Parthiv through the off-side, while Yuvraj pulled him over midwicket for another boundary for 15 runs in that over to give India the much-needed momentum.
The Indians started to grow in confidence and the threat of the pitch started to reduce. Yuvraj crashed McCullum through the covers for a four to take India past 50 in some style.
In the next over, Parthiv lifted Vettori over the midwicket region for the first six of the innings as India started to take control.
Yuvraj also seemed in a rush as he slog swept McCullum over midwicket for a four followed by a six through that region, in the 13th over. The left-hander then lofted Elliott down the ground for his second six and take India to 98 for two after 20 overs.
Parthiv completed his half-century off 69 balls with three runs on the leg side off Vettori in the 21st over. The left-hander then finished off things in style as he pulled Elliott through midwicket for a four.
India reached 107 for two in 21.1 overs to win by an emphatic eight-wicket margin with 173 deliveries remaining.
Parthiv showed great character to weather the early storm before hitting 56 from 70 balls, while Yuvraj ensured there were no dramas as he stroked 42 from 46 balls.
India thus completed an easy 5-0 series victory despite missing all of their top players, while New Zealand suffer their second successive clean sweep in the sub-continent just a couple of months ahead of the World Cup.
Gambhir's captaincy was easily the difference between the two teams, while New Zealand's batsmen also failed to live up to expectations.
