Rajkot, Jan 14 (IANS) Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul struck a magnificent unbeaten 112 off 92 balls as India posted 284/7 in the second ODI against New Zealand at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday.

As to bat first by New Zealand skipper Michael Bracewell, India’s openers overcame a testing new-ball spell from Kyle Jamieson to reach 57 for no loss at the end of the first Power-play. While Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli couldn’t do much, Shubman Gill kept the scoreboard moving by raising a 47-ball half-century.

But Jamieson’s dismissal of Gill led to India slipping from 99/1 to 118/4 on a two-paced pitch. Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja rebuilt via a cautious 73-run stand for the fifth wicket before the former shifted gears to up the tempo and register his eighth ODI hundred, laced with 11 fours and a six. His heroics ensured India posted a competitive total at a venue where all four previous ODIs have been won by sides batting first.

New Zealand’s decision to bowl first paid early dividends as Jamieson swung the new ball well to deliver consecutive maidens before Gill and Rohit hit 11 boundaries between themselves in the first 12 overs. But Rohit fell for 24 when he sliced a cross-seam delivery from Kristian Clarke to deep cover.

Gill looked more fluent than his opening game knock in Vadodara and reached his 18th ODI fifty in 47 balls. But Jamieson returned to remove him, as Gill was unable to keep the pull down and was caught by mid-on for 56. It sparked a collapse that saw India lose Shreyas Iyer (chipped to mid-off) and Kohli (chopped on to his stumps) off Clarke.

Rahul then steadied the innings with his beautiful drives, slices, and pulls, though he lost out on support from Ravindra Jadeja when Michael Bracewell’s sharp caught-and-bowled ended his stay at 27.

With the pitch slowing down and boundaries hard to come by, Rahul farmed the strike and accelerated after the second drinks break – reaching his fifty through a lucky edge off Jamieson for four and even reverse-swept Bracewell for another boundary.

Nitish Kumar Reddy added 20 before pulling to mid-wicket off Zak Foulkes, while debutant spinner Jayden Lennox claimed his first international wicket by having Harshit Rana hole out to long-on.

But Rahul continued to hit boundaries at will and got his century by thumping a full toss from Jamieson over long-on for six, before collecting two boundaries from Foulkes lifted India past 280, leaving New Zealand with a stiff chase under lights.

Brief scores:

India 284/7 in 50 overs (KL Rahul 112 not out, Shubman Gill 56; Kristian Clarke 3-56, Michael Bracewell 1-34) against New Zealand

–IANS

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