Christchurch, Feb. 25: A resurgent New Zealand, armed with youthful enthusiasm, tugged at the world champions’ tag worn by Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s seasoned Indians as they vanquished the visitors with a power-packed performance that left many stunned at the AMI Stadium here on Wednesday.

The Black Caps bowled, fielded and batted with gusto and were a better side by a mile as the misfiring Blues were left panting as they tried to play catch-up in the tour opener. The big names in the Indian squad had left the Kiwis star-struck before the match. By the end of it, it was the stars who were left seeing stars.

Overconfidence did the Indians in, who failed to capitalise on a decent start and lost their minds and wickets far too frequently to end up setting a modest 163-run target which the home batsmen made mockery of, with seven wickets to spare.

While most of the Indians fell trying to force the pace, the Kiwis were a composed lot, playing to a plan formulated with judicious calculation. They lost opener Jesse Ryder in the second over with the score reading only 2 but half-century partnerships for the two subsequent wickets and an unbroken 60-run stand for the fourth ensured there was never a hiccup in the hunt.

Opener Brendon McCullum anchored the innings with an unbeaten 56 off 49 balls and got Martin Guptill (41), Ross Taylor (31) and Jacob Oram (29 n.o) to rally around him well to kill Indian hopes.

McCullum knew exactly when to step on the gas as he cruised for most part of his innings. The 27-year-old who shot into the limelight with an unbeaten 158 for Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural match of the IPL last season, kept the Indians guessing before launching into the big strokes that earned him two boundaries and three sixes.

Guptill was extremely fortunate though. He survived a full-throated leg before wicket appeal by Ishant Sharma when he was yet to open his account. Television replays showed umpire Ewen Watkin erred in judgement. Guptill rubbed it in by smashing four boundaries and three sixes as he raised 54 runs for the second wicket with McCullum being trapped in front of the wicket by off-spinner Harbhajan.

Next man Taylor took up the baton and sprinted along, blasting three sixes and a four in the process before Zaheer cleaned him up. All Oram had to do was play his trademark shots that earned him three fours and two sixes, the second off Yusuf Pathan sealing the win.

Earlier, Oram had pulled off a beauty on the boundary. Chasing an aerial hit from Yusuf Pathan, the New Zealander caught the ball very close to the boundary line, lobbed the ball into the field of play as he realised he won’t be able to keep his balance before stepping over the boundary and springing right back into the ground to pull off a stunning catch.

India tottered to 162/7 thanks to a sensible 61 not out by Suresh Raina. He took charge of the innings as wickets kept falling at regular intervals even as there were short bursts from Virender Sehwag, who smashed four sixes in his 10-ball 26.and Yusuf Pathan, who hit three of the eight balls he faced for sixes.