NE SPORTS BUREAU
AUCKLAND, FEB 8
New Zealand beats the visitors in the second One-day International here on Saturday and won the series with 2-0 here on Saturday.
India’s pacer Navdeep Saini’s dismissal at a crucial stage crushed the team’s series conceding defeat.
Saini expressed his regrets for the untimely dismissal that cost India second ODI, and lamented his dismissal at a crucial juncture which resulted in team’s series-conceding defeat in the second One-day International.
Saini’s 76-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja kept India in pursuit of a 274-run target but the former’s dismissal crushed team’s hopes.
Saini had smacked Kyle Jamieson for a six but was bowled in the next ball. Skipper Virat Kohli was even seen asking Saini to stay clam after he hit the ball out of park.
“I will regret when I go back and see the video. If I hadn’t got out, maybe the result could have been different. Will regret that I took it so close and maybe could have gotten closer,” Saini said at the post match press conference.
“We felt the wicket was flat and if we could stay till the end, the match could go close. So we were trying to contribute as much as possible and take the match to the end. Jadeja had told me that if you get a boundary ball hit it. Otherwise take singles or doubles, try to keep patience and we can take the game to the end.”
Saini was seen batting long in the nets pre-match and it paid off as he scored 45 off 49 balls, including five fours and two sixes. The pacer said it is important for the lower order to contribute runs for the team’s cause.
“It is a good thing that the lower order is performing like this. If everyone performs, it is called a team effort. If batsmen cannot score, bowlers should. If bowlers are not taking wickets, fielders should help. It is a team, after all.
The third ODI will be played at Mt. Maunganui on Tuesday. Earlier, India sweeps the T20I series against New Zealand by 5-0.
