Indian bowlers defended a modest-looking 67 with admirable discipline as the hosts pipped New Zealand by six runs in the rain-hit third and final Twenty20I to claim the series 2-1 on Tuesday.

India made 67 for 5 with Manish Pandey hitting 17 off 11 balls and Kohli 13. Both hit a six and a four in quickfire innings that New Zealand just could not match.

Pandey went to a spectacular catch off Trent Boult. He fired the ball toward the long-on boundary producing a full length dive by Mitchell Santner who deflected the ball to stop it going over the line and set up the catch by Colin de Grandhomme.

Though the result could have gone either way with just two balls remaining, New Zealand reached just 61 for 6 with de Grandhomme making an unbeaten 17. India's Jasprit Bumrah, the player-of-the-match, bowled brilliantly giving away just nine runs from two overs."You would be lying if you said you were not tense," said Indian coach Ravi Shastri. "They saved the best for the last, the electricity was there."

SCORES IN BRIEF

INDIA: 67 for 5 in 8 overs (Sharma 8, Dhawan 8, Kohli 13, Pandey 17, Pandya 14 not out; Southee 2-13, Sodhi 2-23)

NEW ZEALAND: 61 for 6 in 8 overs (Munro 7, Williamson 8, Phillips 11, De Grandhomme 17 not out; Bumrah 2-9, Yadav 1-10)

Result: India won by 6 runs and clinched 3-match series 2-1.

Player-of-the-match: Jasprit Bumrah

Player-of-the-series: Jasprit Bumrah