New Zealand v India

At WestpacTrust Stadium, Wellington, January 8, 2003 (day/night). India won by two wickets. Toss: New Zealand.

India averted a whitewash with their first win of the tour. Set 169, they lost the benighted Ganguly to a flat-footed swish at the first ball, soon followed by a fit-again Tendulkar for a duck. When Kumble dislodged his bails after making a mess of a delivery that bounced two yards in front of the bowler, India were 116 for seven, and the innings had a depressingly familiar look. However, the lower order finally showed unexpected grit: Yuvraj Singh made a responsible halfcentury, Zaheer Khan rode his luck but finished the job. New Zealand welcomed back Cairns for the first time since March 2002, and, with the series safe, took first use of a testing pitch. Zaheer quickly reduced them to three for three, and they were always vulnerable.

Man of the Match: Zaheer Khan.