India won the match by 90 runs and series 3-0 to go to no.1 spot in ICC ODI team rankings.
India and New Zealand clashed in the third and final ODI of the series in Indore on January 24, 2023. The hosts led the series 2-0 and it was a chance for them to whitewash the visitors and become the new no.1 ranked ODI team.
Tom Latham won the toss and chose to bowl first keeping in mind the short boundaries of the Holkar Cricket Stadium and made one change to the XI bringing in Jacob Duffy. India made two changes bringing in Umran Malik and Yuzvendra Chahal.
However, Latham’s decision to bowl first backfired massively as Rohit Sharma (101) and Shubman Gill (112) added 212 runs in 26.1 overs for the opening wicket and then some late flourish from Virat Kohli (36), Shardul Thakur (25) and Hardik Pandya (54) led to India making 385/9 in 50 overs.
Jacob Duffy managed three wickets for 100 runs in his 10 overs, while Blair Tickner took 3/76.
In reply, Devon Conway smashed 138 in 100 balls, and Henry Nicholls (42), Daryl Mitchell (24), Michael Bracewell (26), and Mitchell Santner contributed as well, but New Zealand found themselves well behind the required rate.
One of their last hopes was Lockie Ferguson, who could clear the short boundaries, but his wicket fell when Rohit Sharma took a well-judged catch at midwicket. On the 5th ball of the 39th over, Kuldeep Yadav got Ferguson to mistime one lofted shot in the air.
The ball almost sailed over the head of the Indian skipper, but Rohit leaped high in the air and pouched the ball one-handed in his right hand.
Here is the video:
Meanwhile, New Zealand was shortly dismissed for 295 runs and lost the match by 90 runs and series 3-0 as India went to the top of the ODI rankings.