NZ vs ENG ODI: England’s ‘Bazball’ Crashes! New Zealand Clinch Series, End 17-Year Drought

Hamilton: England’s much-hyped ‘Bazball’ approach fell flat once again as New Zealand outclassed them in the second ODI at Hamilton, winning by five wickets and sealing the three-match series 2-0.

Batting first, England crumbled for just 175 runs, unable to cope with New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack. In reply, the hosts comfortably chased down the target in 34 overs, powered by half-centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell.

With this victory, New Zealand have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, having already defeated England by four wickets in the first ODI at Bay Oval. This marks a historic achievement for the Kiwis — their first ODI series win against England in 12 years and their first home series triumph over England in 17 years, since 2008.

The loss exposes England’s ongoing struggles in ODI cricket. Since their 2019 World Cup triumph, the team’s performance has drastically declined. Following the 2023 World Cup, England have played 25 ODIs, winning only 8 and losing 17, including six out of seven bilateral series defeats. Their Champions Trophy campaign was equally disappointing, failing to reach the semifinals.

England began their New Zealand tour on a positive note, winning the three-match T20I series 1-0 (two matches were washed out), but couldn’t carry that momentum into the ODI format. With two consecutive defeats, New Zealand have now secured the series and restored dominance on their home turf.