Mount Maunganui

A fiery century from Will Young and a half-century from Tim Seifert were standouts as New Zealand posted 333 in their 50 overs in the fourth ODI against India at Bay Oval on Friday. 

After India put NZ to bat first, Young put on an 85-run stand with Seifert (58 in 48 balls, with six fours and three sixes). After a brief slump which saw the Kiwis reduce to 125/3, Young put on another 90-run stand with Finn Allen (41 in 30 balls, with five fours and two sixes). The right-hander roared back into form with a 108-ball 125, with 14 fours and four sixes. Mitchell Santner (24), Kristian Clarke (22) and Kyle Jamieson (19*) took NZ way past the 300-run mark, with the final score being 333. Axar Patel, Auqib Nabi and Gurnoor Brar bowled standout two-wicket spells. 

After being put to bat first by India, Will Young started carefully against Arshdeep Singh before unleashing a four through the off-side on the final ball of the first over. In the next over, Tim Seifert also opened up his arms against Auqib Nabi with a four and six, before being dropped by Rohit Sharma at slips and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan on two successive deliveries to end the over. 

Young and Seifert continued to play it safe, with Kiwis having posted 32 runs in the first five overs. The seventh over by Gurnoor Brar eased off some pressure. Seifert sent a delivery sailing over long-on for a six and followed it with a backfoot punch and a pull for fours, looting 14 runs off the over. 

NZ reached their 50-run mark in 7.5 overs. 

Nabi, who had dismissed both these openers in the second ODI, was hammered in the eighth over with a four and six by Seifert and a boundary by Young, adding 15 more runs to the tally.

Seifert reached his maiden fifty in 39 balls, with six fours and three sixes, as NZ ended at 72/0 in 10 overs, with Seifert (51*) and Young (16*) unbeaten. 

Gurnoor finally broke the 85-run stand, removing Seifert for 58 in 48 balls, with six fours and three sixes. NZ was 85/1 in 12 overs. 

Nick Kelly, sent to bat at number three, could not make an impact as he was removed by Axar Patel thanks to a stumping by Ishan Kishan for a four. Nick was gone for four, with NZ 96/2 in 14.2 overs. 

A four from Young helped NZ reach the 100-run mark in 15.4 overs. 

Young continued to dictate the game with some boundaries, reaching his fifty in 49 balls, with six fours and two sixes. Just when he was building a partnership with Dean Foxcroft, Foxcroft was lured into a pull by Auqib Nabi on a short delivery, which went into the hands of Brar. NZ was 125/3 in 19.3 overs. NZ was 125/3 at the end of 20 overs.

Finn Allen, NZ's T20I opener, came out as a middle-order bat. Axar Patel conceded a four and a six to Young in the 23rd over. NZ reached the 150-run mark in 23.1 overs. 

Halfway through the innings, NZ was 159/3, with Young (64*) and Allen (20*) looking solid. The 26th over bowled by Kuldeep Yadav relieved some pressure, with Young and Allen collecting two fours and a six off it. They brought up their half-century stand in just 38 balls.

Young in particular, continued to target Arshdeep Singh and Gurnoor. A pull shot for four off Arshdeep brought Kiwis to the 200-run mark in 28.4 overs.

Allen produced two successive fours off Gurnoor, with NZ at 214/3, set for a big score. Young (97*) and Allen (41*) had put on an incredible partnership. In the 31st over, Axar produced a breakthrough for India, with Allen (41 in 30 balls, with five fours and two sixes) giving an easy catch to Rohit Sharma. NZ was 215/4, with the 90-run stand undone by the spinner.

In the next over, Young reached his fifth ODI ton and first one against India in just 88 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes. He continued to target Kuldeep, smashing him for three fours and a six in a span of 12 deliveries. 

NZ reached the 250-run mark in 36.2 overs. 

Naman Dhir produced the key wicket of Young, with substitute fielder Kumar Kushagra plucking a fine catch at deep-midwicket as the batter attempted a slog-sweep. Young was gone for 125 in 108 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes. NZ was 256/5 in 37 overs. Gurnoor followed it with a crucial wicket of hard-hitting Michael Bracewell for 15 off 20 balls, reducing them to 258/6. 

Skipper Mitchell Santner, alongside Kristian Clarke, continued to steady the ship. Santner smoked Naman for two sixes over long-on and long-off in the 43rd over. However, he could not stay for too long as Arshdeep got him caught behind the stumps by Ishan for a decent 29-ball, 24-run cameo. NZ was 293/7 in 44.2 overs. 

Kiwis reached the 300-run mark in 45.5 overs, and Kyle Jamieson and Kristian continued to pursue a big finish for the hosts. Nabi got his second scalp of the day, removing Kristian for a handy run-a-ball 22. NZ was 318/8 in 48 overs. Matt Henry sacrificed his wicket for a big-hitting Jamieson on the penultimate ball of the innings. 

Kiwis ended their innings at 333 in 50 overs, with Matthew Fisher being run out. Jamieson (19*) stayed unbeaten. 

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Axar (2/39) was the pick of the bowlers with an economical ten-over spell. Nabi (2/59) and Gurnoor (2/69) also got two wickets, while Arshdeep and Naman managed one each.