With dark clouds looming dangerously, the Indians had no other option than to make quick work of New Zealand in the fifth and final ODI on Friday. And they did just that to complete a creditable whitewash.

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Bowling first, Gautam Gambhir & Co skittled out the visitors for a paltry 103 before chasing that total down in a jiffy. They ended victors by eight wickets to win the series 5-0. For Gambhir, it was double delight. He also bagged the Man of the Series award. Inadequacies in the technique of the New Zealand batsmen were exposed on a turning Chepauk track. The three Indian spinners, particularly Yuvraj Singh and R Ashwin, had a field day. The spinners picked up seven wickets for 40 runs to reduce the Kiwis to their lowest-ever total against India, before Parthiv Patel and Man of the Match Yuvraj Singh took India home.

Electing to bat, the Kiwis were on the backfoot right away. Praveen Kumar struck in the first over by getting rid of Martin Guptill for nought. Brendon McCullum started on a promising note by hitting three boundaries off Ashish Nehra in the second over. But Nehra struck in his next over, trapping McCullum leg-before for 14. The Delhi pacer became the 11th Indian bowler to pick up 150 wickets in ODIs. Nehra then got rid of Ross Taylor. The visitors were then 28 for three.

Jamie How and Scott Styris tried to consolidate the innings adding 43 runs off 50 balls, before the spinners began their assault. The last seven wickets fell in the next 10.2 overs.

Yuvraj Singh struck in his very first over as How played all over the crease only to be bowled for 23. Ashwin picked up his first ODI wicket at home when he trapped Styris. Yuvraj made it two in two as Grant Elliott went back without troubling the scorers. Yusuf Pathan, also got into the act as he sent back Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum. The Kiwis were 98 for eight. Ashwin struck twice in the 27th over to end with three wickets for 24 runs, his best effort in ODIs.

With only 103 to defend, the Kiwis opened the bowling with spinners. It seemed to work for a while as Nathan McCullum dismissed Gambhir in the very first over, before Vettori got Virat Kohli in the fourth over.

But Parthiv and Yuvraj guided India home with no further trouble. Parthiv scored his second successive half-century with India romping home in the 22nd over.