Cricket News: India beat New Zealand in 5th ODI to clinch series 4-1

Ambati Rayudu, Vijay Shankar and all-rounder Hardik Pandya rose to the occasion to hand India a 35-run victory against New Zealand in the fifth and final One Day International match and clinch the limited overs series 4-1. Batting first, India had disastrous start as the men in blue lost four quick wickets for just 18 runs. However, Raydu and Vijay Shankar forged a 98-run stand to ensure to calm the early nerves before the latter was run out following a mix-up. Rayudu continued to bat with Kedar Jadhav and went on to score his 10th ODI fifty. Later in the innings Hardik Pandya played a cameo smacking 45 runs in 22 balls, propelling India’ total past 250. Boult dismissed the last two batsmen as India were all out for 252. Out to chase 253 runs target set up by India, the Kiwis got off to a bright start but kept losing wickets at regular intervals, which allowed India to get back into the game, despite defending a low total.