Billie Jean King Cup :India lose to New Zealand to remain in Group I
With the loss, India finished third in Asia/Oceania Group I with three wins and two defeats.
Indian pacer Navdeep Saini, who shocked everyone with his ability with the willow and almost won India the second ODI against New Zealand on Saturday, said he will regret how he got out at the Eden Park in Auckland.
“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,” IANS quoted Saini as saying in the post-match conference.
Saini played a blistering knock of 45 runs off 49 balls and shared an eighth-wicket stand of 76 runs with Ravindra Jadeja after India were reduced to 153/7 in their chase of 274.
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The 27-year-old fast-bowler had graced his innings with five boundaries and two over-boundaries before getting out to debutant Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson in the 45th over while attempting a big shot.
“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 said.
India never looked on course for a successful chase as they lost the first half of the batting for only 96 runs. However, the partnership from Saini and Jadeja, who played a gritty knock of 55 runs in 73 balls, had provided an extraordinary hope for a little while.
But the Blackcaps bowlers held their nerve and restricted the visitors at 251 to win the second ODI and gain an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match series.
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