India hauled in New Zealand following a record-setting start to the third one-day international in Auckland to dismiss the hosts for an imposing 314 on Saturday.
Leading 2-0 in the five-match series, the Black Caps lost the toss for the third successive game and got off to a flying start on a belter of a pitch at Eden Park.
Martin Guptill provided the backbone of the innings with 111 – his fifth ODI century – and the opener’s 153-run partnership with Kane Williamson (65) set a new record for the second wicket against India.
But a flurry of dismissals slowed the New Zealand run rate after they initially looked on track to comfortably score 330.
The home side were 189-1 in the 33rd over but then lost four wickets in 36 balls for 41 run with Williamson bowled by bowled Mohammed Shami 65 and Guptill being caught in the deep by Ajinkya Rahane off Ravindra Jadeja.
Dangerman Corey Paterson fell for eight and the wickets kept falling when Ross Taylor (17) attempted a foolhardy single and Rahane’s direct hit from silly mid-off ended his innings.
Luke Ronchi (38) and Nathan McCullum (1) put on another 10 runs before a mix-up between the two left Jadeja with all the time in the world to whip the bails off and dismiss McCullum for one.
Ronchi was gone the next ball, flicking Jadeja to deep midwicket where Rahane took the catch to dismiss the wicketkeeper.
It took a breezy 27 off 23 balls from Tim Southee at the tail-end of the innings to tip the Kiwis over the 300-mark.