India vs New Zealand: Mitchell Santner predicts 2-1 win for the Kiwis

New Delhi: On their last tour of India in 2016, the ODI series went down the wire and was decided in the fifth and final game. This year as well the deciding third match will name the winner after the hosts came back to win the second ODI in Pune on Wednesday to level the series 1-1. And the Black Caps' spinner Mitchell Santner hopes it's his team that lifts the trophy on Sunday. 

India, riding on Shikhar Dhawan's 68 and Dinesh Karthik's 64, made little work of New Zealand's below-par 230/9 after the Indian pacers rocked the Kiwi top order following their decision to bat at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. India won by six wickets.

Last year, New Zealand lost the match in Visakhapatnam after levelling the series 2-2, and Santner said his team will look to not repeat the mistake when they play in the third and final game at Kanpur.

"It's a bit disappointing with the loss tonight but we've learnt our part going to Kanpur (for third ODI). Last year we didn't put in a great performance to lose it 3-2 but I guess we can hit the ball rolling at Kanpur and then hopefully take the series 2-1," Santner said.

Talking about the defeat in Pune, the left-arm spinner felt his team didn't recover after losing the top order cheaply.

"Obviously it's a little bit disappointing. I think credit has to go to India the way they bowled in the start and put us under pressure," he told reporters at the post-match media conference.

"Losing the first three in the first 10 overs is not ideal if you're batting first."

Santner, who also played in last year's series, conceded that Indian batsmen played spin very well.

"They're very good players of spin and the Indian players have grown up playing a lot of spin, so it makes your job a lot tougher," he said.

"I think my job is to be quite economical and try taking wickets through the middle; and if I can take a few, it helps but I guess today (last night) they chased their total pretty well."

The third and final ODI will be played in Kanpur on October 29.

(With PTI Inputs)