India make clean sweep against New Zealand

CHENNAI: Ravichandran Ashwin led a devastating spin attack as India thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets in the fifth and final one-day international on Friday for a 5-0 clean sweep of the series.

The off-spinner grabbed three wickets for 24 runs off eight overs to help the hosts bowl out New Zealand for 103 off 27 overs before India coasted to the target with almost 29 overs to spare.

Part-time spinners Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan chipped in with two wickets apiece as New Zealand were bundled out for their lowest total in one-day internationals against India.

Parthiv Patel (56 not out) struck his second half-century in a row and added 97 runs for the unbroken third wicket with Yuvraj Singh (42 not out) to guide India to a comfortable win in the day-night game at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

New Zealand suffered their second series whitewash in a row, having lost 4-0 to Bangladesh in a preceding one-day tournament.

For India, it was their second clean sweep at home since their 5-0 triumph over England in 2008