3rd ODI : India beat NZ to win series

An unbeaten century by in-form Gautam Gambhir scripted India’s series win against New Zealand as the visitors were beaten by nine wickets in the third One Day International (ODI) in the five-match series here on Saturday.

Skipper Gautam Gambhir (126*) and Virat Kohli (63*) starred in India’s triumph as the hosts clinched their third straight win at the Reliance Stadium.

Gambhir’s 126 was embellished with 16 fours off 117 balls as India reached the 225 target with ten overs left.

Kohli also contributed a valuable 63 from 70 balls after opener Murali Vijay was run out for 30.

Earlier, James Franklin led New Zealand?s fight-back with an unbeaten 72 as the visitors scored 224 losing nine wickets.

Trailing 0-2 in the series, New Zealand were in a must win situation, but made a disastrous start as they lost seven wickets for 106 runs in the 30th over.

But Franklin and Nathan McCullum (43) did the repair act with their 94-run stand for the eighth wicket as New Zealand got to a respectable total.

Franklin struck five fours and one six in 108 balls while McCullum made 43 in 53 balls with four fours.

For India, Zaheer Khan, Yusuf Pathan and Ravichandran Ashwin picked up wickets each while Ashish Nehra got one.

Scores:

New Zealand 224-9 in 50 overs (James Franklin 72 not out)
India 229-1 in 39.3 overs (Gautam Gambhir 126 not out, Virat Kohli 63 not out)