New Zealand handed India one of the heaviest defeats in their one-day history, winning the fourth ODI by 244 runs at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Friday. It was New Zealand's first win of the five-match series, and it arrived in spectacular fashion.

New Zealand posted 333 after being asked to bat first, then bowled India out for just 89 in 26.4 overs. The margin of 244 runs is India's second-biggest defeat by runs in ODI cricket, behind only the 245-run loss to Sri Lanka in 2000.

Young makes India pay after two drops

Will Young was the foundation of New Zealand's total, scoring 125 from 108 balls for his fifth ODI century. He was dropped twice in the second over — on five, on consecutive balls — and made India pay in full, striking 11 fours and three sixes and reaching his hundred from 88 balls.

Tim Seifert gave the innings early momentum with 58 from 48 balls, sharing an 85-run stand with Young. Mitchell Santner added 24, Kristian Clarke 22 and Kyle Jamieson an unbeaten 19 as New Zealand pushed past 300 and finished on 333 all out in their 50 overs. Axar Patel, Auqib Nabi and Gurnoor Brar took two wickets each for India.

Henry's devastating first over

The chase was effectively over inside six balls. Matt Henry dismissed Rohit Sharma with the first ball of the innings, then removed Virat Kohli for a four-ball duck and stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer for a golden duck with the final ball of the over. India were 0 for 3 — the first time in their ODI history they had lost three wickets without scoring a run.

Henry finished with 6 for 27, while Matthew Fisher took 3 for 31 as India kept losing wickets. Ishan Kishan top-scored with 27, but no other batter passed 20 and India were bowled out for 89, their lowest ODI total against New Zealand since the 92 at Hamilton in 2019 and close to their all-time low of 88.

Series still alive

India had led the series 2-0, with the third ODI in Hamilton washed out, and Shreyas Iyer was captaining the side for the first time with Shubman Gill preparing for the Test series. The defeat cuts India's lead to 2-1 with one match to play, and gives New Zealand a chance to level the series in the finale.

There was also a flashpoint during the match, when Kohli stepped in as peacemaker after a heated exchange between Brar and Seifert. But the day belonged to Henry and Young: one with the ball in the first over, the other with the bat for more than two hours. New Zealand needed a response after losing the first two matches of the series, and at Bay Oval they delivered one of their most complete ODI performances in years. Sources: ESPNcricinfo and Inshorts.