Daryl Mitchell hits second straight ODI ton, fourth consecutive 50-plus score vs India during Indore game

1 week ago 19

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AP) New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell celebrating his century against India during 3rd ODI in Indore. (PHOTO: AP)

New Zealand middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell loves to bat against India in the ODIs. He becomes even more lethal in the Indian conditions.

On Sunday, Mitchell slammed his ninth One-Day International century, his fourth against India during the third ODI at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. Continuing his purple patch with the bat, this was Mitchell’s fourth consecutive fifty-plus total and second century in succession against the Men In Blue.

Mitchell scored an unbeaten 131 during the second ODI in Rajkot, helping the Kiwis chase down 285 and level the three-match ODI series one-all against India. With the series hung in balance, the Indore game is the series decider, where India have never lost an ODI game. India have also not lost an ODI series against the Kiwis at home.

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Invited to bat first, New Zealand got off to a poor start, having lost both openers in just the first seven deliveries. Mitchell then consolidated New Zealand’s innings and stitched a 53-run partnership with Will Young for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed by pacer Harshit Rana in the 13th over.

Mitchell took 106 deliveries to reach the 14th international ton. The century in Indore is also his third hundred in the last four ODI innings.

While his career ODI average lies above 58, it surges over 78 against India at the time of writing. Incidentally, his highest individual score of 134 also came against the same opposition. Mitchell also scored two centuries against India during the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup in India. First in Dharamsala during a league stage match and then in the semifinal. On both occasions, the Kiwis suffered a defeat against India.