India Win NZ Series, 15 Lakh Bonus to Players
Minutes after Team India clinched the first series win on Kiwi soil since 1968, the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15 Lakh Rupee bonus to all players in the jubilant squad.
Already one up in the three test series India went into the third Test in Wellington as favorites, but bad weather bent on playing spoil-sport cast a long shadows on the final outcome.
For the statistics India and New Zealand drew the Third Test.
New Zealand started the final day on 167-4, 450 runs short of an unlikely win, but bad weather prevented India from scoring a comprehensive victory over the hosts.
The drizzle began in the afternoon session with the Kiwis struggling at 281-8, with no let-up from the heavens prayers in the Indian dressing room went unanswered as play was finally called off two hours later.
Parched for victory on Kiwi soil, India found the silver lining to the clouds in Wellington in the 1-0 series win that broke a nearly 41 year old streak for the Black Caps.
The rains washed away hearty bowling performances by medium pacer Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh and sterling 2 for 26 in a six over spell by Sachin Tendulkar that saw New Zealand castles crumbling before the rain-gods of Wellington decided to favor the home team.
