IND vs NZ: Rohit Sharma Ends New Zealand ODIs On Poor Note, Becomes Sixth Indian To Register Unique Career Milestone

India vs New Zealand: Veteran Indian opener Rohit Sharma became the sixth Indian to play 100 ODI matches at home. Sharma achieved this milestone during the third and final ODI against New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Sharma joined the elite list of Indian cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar (164), Virat Kohli (130), MS Dhoni (127), Mohammad Azharuddin (127), and Yuvraj Singh (108), who have played the most ODI matches for India at home.

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli Hammers 54th ODI Ton, Leapfrogs Ricky Ponting To Register Rare Milestone Against New Zealand In ODIs

During the third ODI, Sharma had a dismal outing with the bat, scoring 11 runs off 13 balls, including two fours, while chasing a competitive target of 338 runs.

Overall, Sharma had a poor outing in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. The veteran opener scored 61 runs in three innings at a poor average of 20.33. Sharma failed to register a fifty in the series.

Meanwhile, New Zealand posted a challenging score of 337/8 in 50 overs in the do-or-die contest against India in Indoor after being asked to bat first.

Daryl Mitchell smashed his consecutive century in the series. The right-handed batter hammered 137 runs off 131 deliveries, including 15 fours and one six.

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli Continues Swashbuckling Form, Chase Master Spearheads Against New Zealand With 85th International Hundred In Indore

Glenn Phillips played a superb knock of 106 runs off 88 deliveries, with nine fours and three sixes.

Towards the end, captain Michael Bracewell's unbeaten 28 off 18 deliveries, including four boundaries, guided New Zealand to 337/8 in 50 overs. With the ball, Arshdeep Singh (3/63) and Harshit Rana (3/84) scalped three wickets each for India.

Kohli's brilliant knock went into vain after India conceded a 41-run defeat to New Zealand in the third ODI match of the series, on Sunday, January 18. With the defeat, the Men in Blue conceded their first ODI series defeat to the Kiwis in India for the first time in 37 years.