Mount Maunganui: Riding on KL Rahul's fourth ODI century, Team India posted a challenging total of 296 for the loss of 7 wickets.
After being put to bat first by New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson who won the toss, India started their innings poorly, losing opener Mayank Agarwal in the very second over of the match.
Virat Kohli too was dismissed for mere nine runs after trying to hit Hamish Bennett for a boundary which left India reeling at 32 for 2 inside seven overs.
Prithvi Shaw (40) who was looking confident was then dismissed five overs later through a run-out trying to sneak in two runs as the Indian total stood at 62 for the loss of three wickets in the thirteenth over.
The duo of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul then steadied the Indian innings as both the batsmen reached to their respective fifties. They stitched an 100-run partnership before Shreyas (62) was sent back to pavilion after Colin de Grandhomme caught Shreyas' shot which was bowled by James Neesham.
Another 107 runs partnership flourished between Rahul (112) and Manish Pandey (42) that helped the Indian post a challenging total of 296 for the loss of 7 wickets.
Rahul and Manish Pandey fell in two consecutive deliveries trying to slam bowler Bennett for a six in the 47th over.
For the Kiwis, the duo of Kyle Jamieson and James Neesham picked a wicket apiece while Hamish Bennett was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand as he picked four wickets in the match.
The Black Caps would now need to chase down a target of 297 to whitewash India 3-0 in the ODI series.
New Zealand have already taken a 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match ODI series.
