KL Rahul guides India to 296/7 against NZ in third ODI

KL Rahul played a knock of 112 runs to guide India to 296/7 against New Zealand in the third ODI of the three-match series here at the Bay Oval on Tuesday.

Put in to bat first, India got off to a bad start as the side lost Mayank Agarwal (1) and Virat Kohli (9) with just 32 runs on the board. Opener Prithvi Shaw (40) played some attacking shots, and tried to play counter-attacking cricket, but he also perished via a run-out in the 13th over, leaving India in a spot of bother at 62/3.

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul then retrieved the innings for India as the duo put on a 100-run stand, but their vigil at the crease came to an end in the 31st over as Jimmy Neesham dismissed Iyer (62), reducing India to 162/4.

Rahul, then found support in Manish Pandey and the duo moved the scoreboard at a brisk pace. The right-handed Rahul brought up his fourth century in the 45th over of the innings.

This was Rahul's (112) first century while batting at the number five position. However, Rahul (112) and Pandey (42) perished in the 47th over, leaving India at 269/6.

In the final overs, New Zealand did not allow India to run away with the game and as a result, the visitors were restricted to under 300-run mark. Hamish Bennett left a mark with the ball as he scalped four wickets.