New Delhi: The Indian cricket team will start the five-match ODI series against New Zealand on Wednesday at the historic Eden Park ground in Auckland.
In this match, Team India will be eyeing to start the series with a win, but its old record on this ground is a matter of concern. India has played 11 ODI matches so far at Eden Park, out of which it has won only four. At the same time, it had to face defeat in six matches, while one match was tied.
Even against New Zealand, the performance of the Indian team on this ground has not been very impressive. In such a situation, Team India will have the responsibility of not only challenging the host team but also improving its old record.
When was India’s first ODI played at Eden Park?
India played its first ODI match at Eden Park on 22 February 1976. At that time Sunil Gavaskar was captaining the Indian team. However, Team India could not win this match and New Zealand defeated it by 80 runs.
After this, the Indian team played 10 more ODI matches on this ground. These matches also include the match of the 2015 World Cup, in which India defeated Zimbabwe by six wickets. However, India’s overall performance on this ground so far has been up and down.
How has India’s record against New Zealand been?
The Indian team’s record against New Zealand at Eden Park has been weaker than that of the host team. In the 11 ODI matches played here, India has won four, while New Zealand has won six matches. A match was tied.
It is clear from this figure that New Zealand has been getting the advantage of playing on its home ground. Indian players will have the challenge of improving this record in the upcoming series.
How did India lose in the last match?
The last ODI match between India and New Zealand at Eden Park was played on 25 November 2022. In that match, the Indian team, batting first, scored 306 runs in 50 overs. Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer played half-century innings and took the team to a strong score.
However, New Zealand put pressure on the Indian bowlers while chasing the target. Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson played an important role in stopping India’s innings by taking three wickets each.
How did Tom Latham turn the match?
Chasing the target of 307 runs, the New Zealand team scored 309 runs in 47.1 overs and won by seven wickets. Tom Latham played a brilliant inning of 145 not out, while Kane Williamson also scored a half-century.
Umran Malik took two wickets for India, but he could not stop the host team from winning. Now the Indian team will have a chance to settle the score of the previous defeat on this ground and make a strong start in the series.