There's a yawning chasm between the second ranked one day side in the world India and New Zealand in third spot if the result of the opening one day match between the two sides in Napier is anything to go by.
India has humbled the Black Caps in game one by eight wickets giving the home side plenty to ponder and very little time to turn things around ahead of game two in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
After winning the toss and opting to bat the home side slumped to 18 for two before Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor began rebuilding the innings when Taylor went for 24 and the Black Caps found themselves 54 for three.
Wickets then fell at regular intervals with Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham and Mitchell Santner all getting to double figures but unable to go on on a pitch that is traditionally batter friendly and certainly looked so again.
Williamson scored his 36th one day international half century but when he went for 64, so too did New Zealand's hopes of a competitive total as they finished all out for 157.
Kane Williamson top scored for the Black Caps with 64. Photo: Photosport
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the most successful of the Indian bowlers finishing with 4-39 off his ten overs while pace bowler Mohammed Shami took 3-19.
India got through to 41-1 before losing their first wicket - Rohit Sharma (11) and sun strike then halted play for half an hour at 7.30pm.
That led to India's innings being reduced to 49 overs and the winning target reduced to 156 rather than 157.
India skipper Virat Kohli leaves the field because of sun strike. Photo: Photosport
It's happened before at McLean Park.
Two years ago, a T20I between New Zealand and Bangladesh was delayed due to the same problem while a recent domestic T20 game between Central Districts and Canterbury was also stopped for a while.
The Black Caps picked up the consolation wicket of India skipper Virat Kolhi (45) to snare a second wicket but at 132-2 the writing was on the wall.
India eventually knocking off their target with 14 overs to spare with Shikhar Dhawan finishing ubeaten on 75.
Bowling for the Black Caps Lockie Fergusson and Doug Bracewell took a wicket apiece.
"It was hard to get momentum and they even showed as well although it wasn't a competitive total to chase it just wasn't as free flowing as we were expecting," says captain Kane Williamson
"It is important that we move onto the next game, the surface there will be different again but the cricket smarts is something we want to be a little bit better at, it's something we pride ourselves on but it wasn't there today."
Look back on the match commentary here:
