Jadeja Stars as India Hold New Zealand to Dramatic Tie

India have retained their hopes of coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand after the third match between the two ended in a dramatic tie at the Eden Park in Auckland.

The hosts put 314 runs on the board for M S Dhoni's men to chase, which the Indian players equalled in the last ball of their innings.

Earlier, Martin Guptill (111) and Jesse Ryder (20) started the game with a bang for the hosts as they raced to 32 runs in the first four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabbed the first wicket of the innings rattling the stumps of the left-handed batsman in the second ball of the next over.

But the Kiwis' surge was not to stop as Kane Williamson (65) and Guptill added 153 to their team's tally while the former grabbed his third half-century in as many matches scoring 65 runs. India's Mohammed Shami opened his account of the day by bowling out the right-hander.

Guptill went on to complete his century but was dismissed in the 38<sup>th over by Ravindra Jadeja. Brendon McCullum departed without adding to the score yet again. Luke Ronchi managed 38 runs in 20 deliveries, while Tim Southee made 27.

The Indian batsmen then got off to a perfect start with Rohit Sharma (39) and Shikhar Dhawan (28) smashing five fours and as many sixes putting on 64 for the first wicket.

Both openers were dismissed by Corey Anderson while Kohli followed them to the pavilion adding only six runs to his account.

The visitors were unable to counter Anderson's bowling as he snapped up his third wicket, that of Ajinkya Rahane (3).

Suresh Raina (31) and Dhoni (50) took their team near the 150-run mark as Raina edged Southee's delivery straight into the hands of Ronchi behind the stumps. Anderson struck again as he dismissed the Indian skipper after he completed his 50.

Now 184 for the loss of six wickets, India seemed to be staring at a third straight defeat in the series. But Ravichandran Ashwin (65) and Jadeja (66) put up a valiant display to take their team's total to 269 with five overs remaining.

Needing 46 more runs for victory, Nathan McCullum dismissed Ashwin while Kumar (4) too fell to Hamish Bennett. Anderson completed his five-wicket haul by dismissing Shami (2).

Despite the dire situation, nothing could stop Jadeja as he smashed two sixes and two fours in the last two overs. The all-rounder's effort managed to level the New Zealand score of 314 for an exciting tie.