New Zealand scripted history in Mumbai on Sunday as the Tom Latham-led side became the first-ever team to whitewash India 3-0 in a Test series on Indian soil. Coming into the third and final Test with a 2-0 lead, New Zealand rode on Ajaz Patel’s match-haul of 11/160 to beat India by 25 runs inside three days.
Having dismissed New Zealand for 174 at the beginning of the first session on day three courtesy Ravindra Jadeja’s five-wicket haul, India needed 147 runs to pick up a consolation win here.
However, the home team suffered yet another inexplicable batting collapse as the Kiwi spinners, led by Ajaz Patel, ran through the Indian line-up. Patel, who took a five-for in the first innings, added six more to take his match haul to 11 wickets.
Rishabh Pant (64) led a monumental fightback but the wicketkeeper batter was caught behind shortly after lunch to deflate all hopes of an Indian victory.
Earlier, New Zealand ended India’s 12-year domination on home soil by winning the first two Test matches in Bengaluru and Pune. It is also their first-ever series victory in India since they started touring the country in 1955-56 under Harry Cave.
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