Hamilton, March 11:

India sealed their first ever one-day international (ODI) series in New Zealand today after Virender Sehwag smashed a brutal quick-fire century in the rain-shortened fourth match.

India won by 10 wickets to go 3-0 up in the five-match series as openers Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir treated the New Zealand bowling attack with disdain. New Zealand scored 270-5 in 47 overs in their innings and more rain interruptions saw India declared the winners after reaching 201-0 from 23.3 overs.

Sehwag scored 125, reaching three figures off just 60 balls to record the seventh fastest ODI

century ever and the fastest by an Indian player, ensuring India’s first ODI series win in New Zealand in six attempts. Sehwag finished with 14 fours and six sixes from his 74 ball innings. The 30-year-old now has 11th ODI centuries in a career known more for brute force than deft touches.

Gambhir was the perfect partner for Sehwag, turning over the strike with frequent singles while still finishing with 63 runs off 67 balls.

New Zealand’s bowlers were grim-faced after a nightmare match, with nothing they tried working against the rampant opening pair. They have had a series to forget against the star-laden Indian line-up, who hit 392-4 in the previous ODI match in Christchurch at the weekend.

Earlier, New Zealand battled to 270-5, after openers Brendon McCullum (77) and Jesse Ryder (46)got the home side off to a flying start, putting on 102 for the first wicket.