BLACKCAPS 314 all out (Martin Guptill 111, Kane Williamson 65, Luke Ronchi 38) tied with India 314-9 (Ravindra Jadeja 66, Ravichandran Ashwin 65, MS Dhoni 50, Corey Anderson 5-63).
India and the BLACKCAPS tied the third ANZ ODI at Eden Park in one of the most remarkable finishes the stadium has seen. With 18 required from the last over, then two from the last ball, Ravindra Jadeja scrambled a single to leave honours even after 628 runs were scored in the day in front of 28,612 happy, noisy fans.
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma got India away to a flyer in their chase, going at well over six an over to the delight of the large Indian contingent in the crowd.
Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan both took some punishment before Corey Anderson had Dhawan caught just inside the boundary in an absolute screamer from Martin Guptill, who made a lot of ground before throwing himself full length at the ball to take the catch for 28.
His partner quickly followed, caught by Hamish Bennett on the fence from Anderson again. Then Bennett, who'd bowled two maiden overs to Virat Kohli, had him reaching at one outside off stump and nicking through to Ronchi, to get the big wicket the team and the home fans wanted.
Anderson struck again, getting Ajinkya Rahane in a strangle down the leg side to bring MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina together, who put together a partnership to arrest the slide. Dhoni was prepared to wait for the bad ball, and was brutal when it came, launching a number of big sixes into the crowd.
His partner Suresh Raina fell in the 28th over, caressing one down the leg side to Ronchi after a 67 run partnership with his skipper.
Dohni brought up his 50 with a big six down the ground - but was out next ball hitting Anderson to fine leg where Southee took a fine catch.
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin fought back with an 85 run partnership, bringing the run rate required down with some smart running and big shots as Aswin brought up his 50.
The BLACKCAPS had chances to end the partnership with run outs and a hard chance to Tim Southee at fine leg, but Nathan McCullum broke the partnership, getting Ashwin caught on the boundary thanks to some cool thinking from Guptill, who took the ball, threw it in the air and came back inside the boundary to claim the catch.
Jadeja battled on, losing Kumar then Shami. He survived a convincing caught behind shout from Mitchell McClenaghan in the 46th over that was turned down despite Snicko indicating noise.
With 18 needed from the last over he cooly steered India to the brink, hitting two fours and a six - two were needed from the last ball and Jadeja prodded it into the off side to run a single and end the match as a tie. Both teams will rue their missed chances to take the win.
In the afternoon, MS Dhoni won the toss and inserted the BLACKCAPS in bright Eden Park sunshine in front of a bumper crowd.
Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder got things underway in a hurry, with Guptill hitting the first ball for four through the covers.
Ryder was very comfortable taking the bowlers on but was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the fifth over for 20 from 12 balls. That brought Williamson to the crease, who continued his role of building a platform for the rest of the team. Along with Guptill he settled the innings down and accumulated well, despite some jittery running and a few near-misses early in their partnership.
After drinks the scoring rate began lifting, with both men looking to hit boundaries. The run rate steadily crept toward 6 as first Guptill, then Williamson reached and went past 50, Williamson's third consecutive half century for the series. Williamson was eventually undone, bowled by Shami when trying to make room to go over the top once more in the 33rd.
Corey Anderson was next man in, with a cameo involving one massive six, then being bowled after being cramped up by Ashwin.
Guptill brought up his century after a couple of obligatory nervous moments in the 90s, then celebrated by putting the foot down, taking a six and a four from one Shami over. He then holed out on the dreaded Nelson to a fine catch by Ajinkya Rahane on the rope for 111 and saluted his home crowd on the way off.
Brendon McCullum came and went for a duck and things were teetering when Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi went for a quick single and a run out was referred upstairs, only to show MS Dhoni had broken the stumps without the ball.
Ronchi started hitting sixes all around the ground to continue his aggressive form for the series before Taylor was run out from a direct Rahane hit on the stumps for 17. The innings' momentum began to go backwards as Nathan McCullum was run out before Ronchi holed out to Jadeja. The BLACKCAPS had lost 7 wickets in 67 balls and and Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan set about batting out the 50. McClenaghan went attempting an outlandish shot, before Southee began to hit out to bring up 300.
Southee was run out from the last, but contributed valuable runs with three sixes and and a four to take the BLACKCAPS to 314. They will feel they could have had more after being 2-189 after 32, but pleased to rescue the situation somewhat and bat the 50.
