IND vs NZ 2023: We just couldn’t build partnerships at the top – Tom Latham

New Zealand’s skipper Tom Latham admitted they could not build partnerships at the top in the second ODI against India in Raipur on Saturday. Raipur was hosting its first ODI ever and the pitch had some demons in it, which the Indian bowlers exploited.

After forgetting what to do after winning the toss for 13 seconds, Rohit Sharma decided he would put the opposition in. Mohammed Shami set up Finn Allen beautifully as he got the ball to move away and then had the right-hander with the ball coming back into him to knock off the stumps.

From there on, there was just one-way traffic. Mohammed Siraj joined his bowling partner in the wickets column as he produced Henry Nicholls’ outside edge to first slip, Shubman Gill. Sham then had Daryl Mitchell caught and bowled and Devon Conway followed suit in a similar fashion as Hardik Pandya took a sharp left-handed catch off his own bowling.

Shardul Thakur joined the party as he got rid of the Kiwis’ skipper Tom Latham as the visitors found themselves under the cosh, losing half of their side at 15 after 10.3 overs. Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner did some rebuilding work but they could only take New Zealand as far as 108, which was never going to be enough.

India cruised to the paltry score in just 21 overs, with eight wickets in hand to take an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the series.

Tom Latham said in the post-match presentation, “Batting up-top wasn’t our best performance. India put the ball in the right areas and it was one of those days where everything we tried didn’t work. On the other hand, everything India did worked. There was some tennis-ball bounce, some came through, some kept low and there was some movement. We just couldn’t build partnerships at the top. Guys lower down tried to fight but it wasn’t easy. We didn’t adapt well today, considering the surface.”

India was brilliant with the ball whereas New Zealand just could turn up. The third and final ODI of the series will be played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore on Tuesday.