After walking in to bat at 88/3 in the 20th over, New Zealand keeper-batsman Tom Latham, along with skipper Kane Williamson, made look a chase of over 300 as easy and effortless as it could be, with the hosts scampering over the finishing line still having 17 balls left to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series against India on Friday at Eden Park.
Lathan scored 145 unbeaten runs in 104 balls with the help of 19 fours and 5 sixes, while Williamson remained not out on 94 from 98 balls and stroked 7 fours and a six.
The pair conjured up a terrific partnership of 221* runs from 165 balls without going hammer and tongs, but did it with precision, smarts and were aided by some poor bowling from the Indian bowlers who were terrible with their lengths and planning in the second half of New Zealand’s chase and were bereft of ideas once Williamson and Latham got going.
The left-hander Tom Latham’s superb knock of 145* is now the highest-ever score by a New Zealand batsman against India in ODI cricket. The previous highest was by Nathan Astle, who scored 120 against India in Rajkot in 1999.
The third-highest score by a Kiwi batter vs India in ODIs is by skipper Kane Williamson, who scored 118 in Delhi in 2017.
Before this ODI, Tom Latham already had a prolific average of 53 vs India in 16 ODI knocks, and now that average has swelled to 65. The left-hander now has 2 ODI tons to go with 5 fifties against the Men In Blue.
