World Test Championship: Rishabh Pant's brilliant half-century went in vain as India were all out for 121 in their second innings, going down by 25 runs as New Zealand completed a historic 3-0 sweep in the three-match series at the Wankhede Stadium here on Sunday.
Needing to chase 147 to win the third Test on a turning and crumbling track, Pant kept India's hopes alive with a brilliant 64. He was out after pulling India past 100 runs and India lost their way as Ajaz Patel (6-57) and Glenn Phillips (3-42) proved the thorn in their side as the hosts suffered another embarrassing defeat that would also hamper their chances of reaching the World Test Championship final.
With Pant in the middle India were 92/6 in 20 overs at lunch on the third day, needing 55 more runs to win the match and salvage their pride. But Pant fell soon after the restart and though Washington Sundar and R. Ashwin kept hope alive, Ashwin and Akash Deep fell to Phillips off successive balls and their fate was sealed when Sundar fell in the next over. This is the first time that a team made a clean sweep against India in a three-match series.
