Eden Park, Auckland, is about to see some serious One Day International cricket this week, with India kicking off their five-match series against New Zealand on Wednesday, November 4. But before that first ball even flies, there’s a number looming large over that pitch: 340 for 5.
The Record That Won’t Die
Talk about a mountain to climb. The biggest successful chase ever at Eden Park, and it still stands, went down way back on February 18, 2007. New Zealand absolutely ripped through a target of 337 against Australia, hitting an incredible 340 for 5 in just 48.4 overs. Seriously, for that era of ODI cricket, almost seven runs an over was just wild. We’re talking Ross Taylor dropping a massive 117 and Craig McMillan adding 52, those two kept the scoreboard ticking when it mattered most. Nobody, and I mean nobody, has surpassed that total in a chase at Eden Park since.
A History of High Stakes and Near Misses
But Eden Park isn’t just about big numbers. This place has seen some absolutely legendary moments. Think back to March 24, 2015, the World Cup semi-final against South Africa. Rain messed with that one, setting New Zealand a DLS target of 298. They chased it down, 299 for 6 in 42.5 overs, all thanks to Grant Elliott slamming a six on the penultimate ball. That shot sent them to their first ever World Cup final, a moment etched in tournament history, no doubt.
And what about India? They’re walking into a venue where they’ve had some serious headaches. We’re talking a bitter loss in November 2022, failing to chase 307 against New Zealand. And before that, in 2014, they actually tied a match after barely missing a 315-run target. That 314 for 9 score? It’s still the highest second-innings total at Eden Park that didn’t end in a win. Ouch. Visiting teams have actually pulled off big chases here, too, with Zimbabwe running down 274 for 9 against New Zealand in 2001, Pakistan hitting 264 for 6 in 1992 and 251 for 3 in 1989, and even West Indies winning with 234 for 7 in 2006, which is the smallest total in the top ten.
So, as India steps onto that Eden Park turf this Wednesday, November 4, they’re not just starting a series. They’re stepping into a stadium with a history of massive chases and some seriously tough memories for them personally. Can they finally break the Eden Park curse and put up a dominant chase of their own? The entire series kicks off right here, and the pressure is already on to see if they can rewrite their own history at this legendary ground.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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