India seal ODI series with win over NZ

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma forged a century partnership as India beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the third one-dayer on Monday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, signalling their preparedness for this year's World Cup.

Sharma (62) combined with captain Kohli (60) in a 113-run partnership to set up their successful chase.

Then Ambati Rayudu (40) - who earlier in the day had his ban from international bowling over a suspect action by the ICC confirmed - completed the formalities with Dinesh Karthik, who was 38 not out, as India romped home with seven overs to spare.

New Zealand were earlier dismissed for 243 from 49 overs at Bay Oval in Tauranga, their third successive failure to last the full 50 overs.

India have effortlessly outplayed New Zealand in every match so far and are unlikely to miss Kohli, who is now being rested for the last two ODIs and all three Twenty20 matches.

While New Zealand managed to negate the left-arm wrist spin of Kuldeep Yadav for the first time and keep him wicketless, the pace trio of Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the recalled Hardik Pandya shared seven wickets among them to deny the home side a big total.

New Zealand's innings was well below par on a pitch that had slowed since the second game on Saturday with Ross Taylor (93) and Tom Latham (51) combining for 119 runs in the hosts' only substantial partnership in the series so far.

The failure of openers Martin Guptill (13) and Colin Munro (7) to again give New Zealand a decent start will no doubt be the biggest concern for coach Gary Stead with the World Cup in England just four months away.

Munro was caught at slip by Sharma off Shami and Guptill followed him 16 runs later when wicketkeeper Karthik snaffled a lazy attempt at a drive from a Kumar delivery to leave New Zealand 2-26 in the seventh over.

An airborne Pandya took a spectacular catch at midwicket to dismiss Kane Williamson for 28 and finished with figures of 2-45 on his return to the side.

Pandya and teammate KL Rahul, who were suspended by the Indian board earlier this month for making controversial comments about women, had their bans lifted last week.

The fourth match is at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Thursday.