New Zealand are better than Australia: Harbhajan Singh

India clinched their third ODI series in the last few months when they thumped New Zealand by 7 wickets in the third match of the five-game series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The win gave the Men in Blue an unassailable 3-0 lead and it came after the 3-1 and 2-1 margin victories over the Windies and Australia, respectively. It was also the second time that India defeated the Black Caps in an away ODI series and it came after a decade, after the 3-1 victory in 2008-09 under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

India have had little problem in humbling the Kiwis, who annihilated Sri Lanka 3-0 at home recently, in all the three games they have played in the series so far. India won the first match in Napier by 8 wickets and the second in Mount Maunganui by 90 runs. And this straight series victory came against a team which is ranked higher than Australia and the Windies in ICC’s ODI table and just a place behind second-ranked India.

‘No team can stand in front of India’

India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was elated by India’s strong show against New Zealand, who are considered quite a force at home. “This current New Zealand are definitely a better team than Australia but don’t forget how well India played. Sometime, we look to the other teams play well and we forget how good our own team is and that no team can stand in front of our team. It is great to see the way our team is playing. Everyone is in form,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by India Today.

Pacer Mohammed Shami has been in particularly good form and it did not escape the Turbanator’s notice. He has been opening the bowling for India in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah who has been rested for the NZ tour, and picked up seven wickets in three matches so far, bagging the Player of the Match awards twice – in the first and third matches.

“I would like to talk about Mohammed Shami. He has been phenomenal, he is someone who India will need at the World Cup and it is so good to see him picking up those wickets and winning the man-of-the-match,” the 38-year-old said.

Harbhajan also mentioned that India have now found the core team in the run-up to the World Cup, adding that captain Virat Kohli will be happy with the way the team has shaped up.

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