Auckland (The Hawk): To lead New Zealand to a seven-wicket victory over India in Friday's inaugural one-day international in Auckland, Tom Latham hit a magnificent century.
Latham scored 145 runs off 104 balls in an unbroken innings while smashing 19 fours and five sixes. His seventh ODI century was also the match's highest total.
Before Latham and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson pulled together a winning partnership of 221 runs at Eden Park, the Black Caps needed to score 307 runs to win.
After losing the Twenty20 series to India, Williamson concluded on 94 not out as New Zealand took the lead in the ODI series.
On Friday, after being given the opportunity to bat by New Zealand, India scored 306 and did not let the visitors' starters have a chance to settle as the chase got underway.
Dean Conway and Finn Allen both egged balls to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik, two speed bowlers from India, made their ODI debuts, and they celebrated by dismissing Conway and Daryl Mitchell in quick succession as New Zealand laboured to 88-3.
For India's bowlers, it rapidly turned into a horrible evening.
Williamson made a great variety of shots, including a 79-meter six, to stay in the game.
He had strong support from Latham, who gained self-assurance as they stopped the Indian bowlers' momentum and led New Zealand to victory.
Earlier, Shubman Gill and India's captain Shikhar Dhawan put on an outstanding opening partnership of 124.
Before getting caught off the bowling of Tim Southee, who recorded his 200th ODI wicket for New Zealand, Dhawan hit 13 fours while scoring 72 runs off 77 balls.
The dismissals of Pant and Suryakumar Yadav, which left the visitors on 160-4, hampered India's run rate.
80 runs by Shreyas Iyer, including four sixes, helped keep the innings steady.
The second ODI will take place in Hamilton on Sunday.
(Inputs from Agencies)