The third ODI between India and New Zealand took place on February 11, 2020, at the Bay Oval. New Zealand won the toss and chose to field, meaning India's Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal had to open the batting for the first innings.
The start was rocky for India as Mayank Agarwal was dismissed quickly for a single run. Prithvi Shaw managed to score 40 from 42 deliveries, partnering briefly with the captain and then with Shreyas Iyer. Shaw's innings ended abruptly when Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Latham managed to run him out. Following this, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer formed a commanding partnership that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Rahul and Iyer dominated the bowling, consistently hitting the ball into the gaps and over the rope for boundaries. For Iyer, this match added another fifty to his career total of seven fifties and one century. Meanwhile, KL Rahul, already boasting seven fifties and three tons, added another half-century to his record before eventually smashing a six to seal off a magnificent century during the match at Bay Oval.
After a calculated innings of 62 runs from 63 balls, Shreyas Iyer was finally dismissed by the bowler de Grandhomme. Contributions from Manish Pandey, who scored 42, along with a few other runs, helped India post a formidable total of over 296 runs in their 50 overs. In response, New Zealand sent out Guptill and Nicholls to open the chase.