For the final match in the series in Wellington, New Zealand made just one change, with Colin Munro preferred to Martin Guptill. For their part India recalled MS Dhoni, Vijay Sankar and Mohammed Shami in place of Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed.
India won the toss and decided to bat first, but got off to a terrible start, losing their first four batsmen for just 18 runs. First to fall was Rohit Sharma, bowled by Matt Henry, followed by Shikhar Dhawan caught by Henry, with Trent Boult the bowler. Henry then struck again to remove both Shubman Gill and Dhoni. It was left to Ambati Rayudu and Shankar to dig India out of the hole with a stand of 98 for the 5th wicket, until Shankar, who had reached 45, was run out by Munro.
Rayudu then added 74 with Kedhar Jadhav, before he was caught by Munro off Henry for 90, having hit 4 sixes and 8 fours. Jadhav presented Henry with a 4th wicket, out for 34, but then Hardik Pandya produced a late cameo, scoring 45 from just 22 balls, including 5 sixes and 2 fours, as India looked to post a competitive score. He fell at the end of the 49th over, with India bowled out off the penultimate ball of the innings for 252. Henry, with 4 for 39, was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers, whilst Boult finished with 3 for 39.
In reply, the New Zealanders never really got going, with no batsman going on to make a big score. The pattern was set when Henry Nicholls fell to Shami in the 4th over, with the same bowler then accounting for Munro, , before Ross Taylor fell to Pandya in the following over. Kane Williamson and Tom Latham looked to provide a platform with a stand of 67, but Williamson was caught by Dhawan off Jadhav for 39 and Latham lbw to Yuzvendra Chahal for 37.
Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme looked to provide some impetus, but de Grandhomme was lbw to Chahal, and Neesham, who had hit 2 sixes and 4 fours, was run out by Dhoni, top scoring with 44. Todd Astle gave Chahal a third wicket, and then Mitchell Santner fell to Pandya, before Boult was last man out, as New Zealand were bowled out for 217 at the start of the 45th over.
Chahal finished with 3 for 41, whilst Shami and Pandya claimed two wickets apiece.
Rayudu’s innings earned him the man of the match award.