Kohli hits ton as India wins Guwahati ODI against New Zealand

GUWAHATI - Indian batsman Virat Kohli scored a century to help India beat New Zealand by 40 runs in the first one-day international and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series here on Sunday.

Put into bat first, Kohli scored 105, while Yuvraj Singh hit 42 and then took three wickets as New Zealand were bowled out for 236 while replying to India’s 276.

Kohli shared a crucial partnership with Gautam Gambhir (38), and when the captain was dismissed with the team total on 92, he shared an 88 run third-wicket partnership with Yuvraj to set up a good platform for the home side.

Kohli’s 104-ball knock was laced with 10 fours. His stroke play looked set to take India to a formidable score, but New Zealand fast bowler Andy McKay pinned them back at the Nehru Stadium.

McKay finished with the figures of 4-62, while Kyle Mills finished with 3-42 on an unusually easy pitch for the batsmen.

New Zealand’s chase started on a poor note, as openers Jamie Howe (nine) and Martin Guptil (30) were dismissed inside the first ten overs with just 35 runs on board.

Ross Taylor (66) and Kane Williamson (25) led a fight-back with their 67-run stand for the third wicket.

However, Williamson’s dismissal saw a batting collapse, which ended with the New Zealand team reeling on 169-8 in the 36th over.

Nathan McCullum (35) and Kyle Mills (32) steadied the ship putting on 67 runs together, but the visitors’ resistance was ended by Sreesanth who dismissed both the batsman off consecutive deliveries to restrict New Zealand to 236.

Sreesanth, Yuvraj and R. Ashwin picked up three wickets each. (ANI)