Kuldeep’s twin strike reduces NZ to 83/3 in 15 overs

Dubai, Mar 9 (PTI) Kuldeep Yadav produced a beauty first up to dismiss a dangerous Rachin Ravindra as Indian spinners reduced New Zealand to 83 for 3 after 15 overs in the final of the Champions Trophy here on Sunday. The left-arm wrist spinner (2/8 in 3 overs) then removed opposition’s main batter Kane Williamson (11 off 14 balls) with a perfectly flighted delivery which stopped on him, enticing a simple return catch.

Enduring an underwhelming tournament thus far, Kuldeep, India’s most prolific ODI spinner in recent years, finally came to the party when it mattered.

Ravindra (37 off 29 balls) took on the Indian pacers, hitting four boundaries and a six to give his team momentum first up as Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya struggled to contain the run flow.

In fact, the opening stand of 57 between Ravindra and Will Young (15 off 23 balls) is the highest by any team against India in the tournament.

India’s trump card Varun Chakravarthy (1/21 in 3 overs) got one to straighten and catch Young plumb in-front while Kuldeep executed a perfectly pitched left-arm spinner’s googly which breached Ravindra’s defence.

He returned to get rid of Williamson.

At the end of 15 overs, Tom Latham (2 batting) and Daryl Mitchell (9 batting) were at the crease.