KIWI CRUSH!

Vimal Kumar sports@ mid- day. com Mt. Maunganui ( NZ): Itu2019s not even a fortnight for the Indian teamu2019s first- ever 5- 0 win on tour in the T20 format here. However, on the same ground on Tuesday, India were humbled 0- 3 in the ODI format by New Zealand.

For the first time, captain Kohli, who has led the team in 17 ODI series, was playing a dead rubber. The manner in which they were crushed by the Kiwis [ five- wicket loss] in the third and final ODI, there was a sense of inevitability to the outcome.

The other team is also here to play. You cannot win every match.

Put in to bat, India lost their first three wickets inside 13 overs for just 62 runs.

It was a far cry from New Zealandu2019s 106- run opening stand in 16.3 overs.

The consistent KL Rahul ( 112) and Shreyas Iyer ( 62) and Manish Pandey ( 42) rebuilt Indiau2019s innings to help them reach 296- 7 in 50 overs.

Rahul and Pandeyu2019s wickets off consecutive deliveries from medium pacer Hamish Bennett, who was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with 4- 64, in the 47th over resulted in the Indian batsmenu2019s inability to capitalise in the death overs, scoring just 86 runs in the last 10 overs of their innings.

The century opening stand from Martin Guptill ( 66) and Henry Nicholls ( 80) set the stage for the hosts in their chase. Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja did well to keep Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor quiet, but Colin de Grandhommeu2019s quickfire 28- ball 58 not out and Tom Lathamu2019s unbeaten 32 off 34 balls helped the Kiwis chase the target with 17 balls to spare.

Kohli was understandably annoyed with the performance his team put up in the ODI series. u201c The games were not as bad as the scoreline suggests. It boils down to those chances that we didnu2019t grab. I donu2019t think it was not enough to win games in international cricket,u201d Kohli said.

Didnu2019t deserve to win: Kohli u201c With the ball, we were not able to make breakthroughs, we were not at all good on the field. We havenu2019t played so badly but when you donu2019t grab those chances, you donu2019t deserve to win,u201d he added.

u201c Batsmen coming back from tough situations was a positive sign for us, but the way we fielded and bowled, the composure wasnu2019t enough to win games,u201d Kohli asserted.

Brief scores India 296- 7 ( KL Rahul 112, S Iyer 62, M Pandey 42; H Bennett 4- 64) lose to NZ 300- 5 in 47.1 overs ( H Nicholls 80, M Guptill 66, C Grandhomme 58*; Y Chahal 3- 47) by five wickets Virat Kohli ( centre) reacts during the third ODI against New Zealand at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui yesterday. Pic/ AFP KIWI CRUSH! After losing the T20I series 0- 5, New Zealand bounce back to hand Virat Kohliu2019s Team India their first- ever whitewash in 31 years by winning ODI series 3- 0 KL Rahul celebrates his century against New Zealand. Pic/ PTI