NEW DELHI: Daryl Mitchell’s second consecutive hundred and Glenn Phillips’ blistering century powered New Zealand to a competitive 337 for eight despite early jolts from India’s pace attack in the series-deciding third ODI on Sunday.

Mitchell (137) and Phillips (106) stitched together a 219-run partnership for the fourth wicket that completely turned the innings around.

Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips etch their names into 'an elite list 'with record-breaking partnership

Calm and authoritative, Mitchell anchored the stand while Phillips provided the momentum, allowing New Zealand to accelerate after a cautious start.

India looked in control at one stage, having reduced the visitors to 58 for three, but Mitchell and Phillips made sure the contest was very much alive.

Early Pressure

Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, brought in for Prasidh Krishna, made an immediate impact by removing Henry Nicholls (0) in the opening over.

Bowling closer to the off-stump, Arshdeep (3/63) shaped the ball away perfectly. Nicholls, caught in two minds, came down the track late and saw the delivery take the inside edge into the leg-stump.

Arshdeep and fellow seamer Harshit Rana (3/84) hit the deck hard, generating just enough movement to keep New Zealand under pressure early on.

The visitors managed only 47 runs in the first 10 overs, losing both openers cheaply. Harshit dismissed Devon Conway (5) for the third consecutive time, inducing an edge that was safely taken in the slips.

Will Young (30) tried to break the shackles with a six over deep backward point off Harshit, but the bowler had the last laugh. Harshit broke the 53-run stand between Young and Mitchell when Young cut firmly to the right of Ravindra Jadeja at backward point, where the all-rounder took a comfortable catch.

Recovery and Acceleration

Mitchell set the tone for New Zealand’s recovery by taking on Kuldeep Yadav early, smashing the left-arm wrist-spinner for a towering six. Kuldeep adjusted well after that, flattening his trajectory and controlling his length to slow the scoring.

Mitchell brought up his half-century with a boundary off Kuldeep when the spinner strayed down the leg side. As the ball softened after the 34th over, stroke-making became trickier, but the short boundaries at Holkar Stadium encouraged calculated risk-taking.

Mitchell continued to counter-attack, hitting Nitish Kumar Reddy for a flat six, while Phillips also took on the medium-pacer, surviving a chance when Harshit could not reach a ballooned edge.

Phillips later pulled Mohammed Siraj (1/43) for a boundary and sent Arshdeep over mid-on for a six. Mitchell completed his hundred with a single off Jadeja, his second in a row in the series, before Phillips went after the left-arm spinner, creaming him for a six. Mitchell added a four in the same 40th over as New Zealand surged to 237 for three.

India clawed back late with a flurry of wickets. Siraj removed Mitchell for a well-made 137, while Arshdeep accounted for Phillips (106) and Zak Foulkes. Kuldeep trapped Mitchell Hay lbw as New Zealand lost four wickets in quick succession.

Michael Bracewell’s late flourish (28 not out) ensured the visitors crossed the 330-run mark.

(With PTI Inputs)