India vs New Zealand: ‘India missed a trick’, Twitterati react as Black Caps take 1-0 lead in ODI series – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Tom Latham made a career-best 145 and captain Kane Williamson scored 94 in an unbroken partnership of 221 which lifted New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over India on Friday in the first of three one-day internationals.

The match was in the balance when Latham joined Williamson with New Zealand at 88-3 in the 20th over in reply to India’s seemingly formidable 306-7. They stayed together for the remainder of the match and steered the Kiwis to victory at 309-3 with 17 balls remaining.

At first Williamson was the senior partner and Latham played a loyal support role. But nearing the 40th over that hierarchy changed and Latham sprinted ahead of his captain. He struck 23 runs from the 40th over bowled by Shardul Thakur to go from 77 to a century — his seventh in one-day internationals — from 76 balls.

Latham had taken his early runs from dabs behind square on both sides of the wicket, using the pace of the ball to reach the short boundaries at third man and fine leg. Suddenly, as if a switch had been thrown, he began to launch the slower bowlers through and over mid-wicket as his personal total and his partnership with Williamson grew rapidly.

Williamson had been short of his best form at the T20 World Cup in Australia earlier this month and in the rain-affected Twenty20 series which India recently won 1-0, though he made 61 of New Zealand’s 126 in the second match.

Williamson fought his way back to form Friday with fierce application, setting out from the start to give solidity to New Zealand’s stuttering innings. Latham’s arrival at the crease and his similar dedication seemed to energize Williamson who was playing only his seventh one-day international since the final of the 2019 World Cup.

His innings included his 40th half century in one-day internationals and saw him pass 3,000 runs in ODIs in New Zealand.

Here’s how Twitterati reacted to New Zealand’s win over India in the first ODI: