India began their 2026 ODI campaign with a thrilling four-wicket win over New Zealand in Vadodara. Virat Kohli starred with a composed 93. KL Rahul calmly finished the chase. Harshit Rana also impressed as India chased down 301 to take a 1–0 lead in the series.

New Delhi: India began their 2026 ODI campaign with a strong and hard-earned win over New Zealand in Vadodara. They chased a challenging target of 301 at Kotambi Stadium. India won by four wickets with six balls to spare. Stand-in captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first. The decision worked well early on, even though New Zealand later posted a competitive total of 300/8.

This win gave India a positive start to the series and extended their strong home record against New Zealand.

New Zealand’s Solid Start Sets Up Big Total

New Zealand’s openers Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls gave the visitors an excellent start. The pair added 117 runs for the first wicket, putting India under pressure early.

• Devon Conway scored 56 off 67 balls. He survived an early dropped catch by Kuldeep Yadav.
• Henry Nicholls made 62 off 69 balls. He reached his fifty in 60 balls and punished loose deliveries.

The breakthrough came when Harshit Rana dismissed Nicholls, who edged the ball to KL Rahul. Rana then struck again, bowling Conway with a delivery that moved off the pitch. Soon after, Mohammed Siraj removed Will Young (12), caught behind by Rahul.

Daryl Mitchell Leads the Middle-Order Fight

After the openers fell, Daryl Mitchell took control of the innings. He played a powerful knock of 84 off 71 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes. His innings included a brutal 4-6-4 sequence off Prasidh Krishna.

• Glenn Phillips (12) fell to Kuldeep Yadav, caught by Shreyas Iyer at point
• Prasidh bowled Mitchell Hay for 18 with a fast delivery
• Shreyas Iyer ran out captain Michael Bracewell for 16 with a direct hit

Siraj dismissed Zak Foulkes (1), and Prasidh later trapped Mitchell lbw, with New Zealand losing the review. Kristian Clarke (24)* and Kyle Jamieson (8)* added valuable runs at the end, helping New Zealand finish on 300/8.

India’s Chase Starts Fast, Then Steadies

India began the chase aggressively. Rohit Sharma scored 26 off 29 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes, before mistiming a shot to mid-off off Jamieson.

A crucial 118-run partnership followed between Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli.

• Gill made 56 off 71 balls, surviving two dropped catches by Glenn Phillips
• Kohli reached his fifty in just 44 balls, playing fluently and confidently

Gill was eventually dismissed by Adithya Ashok, caught by Phillips, while Kohli continued to dominate.

Kohli Misses Century, Match Turns Tense

Virat Kohli looked set for his 85th international century, hitting eight fours and one six. However, on 93, he attempted to clear mid-off and was caught off Kyle Jamieson.

Jamieson then struck twice more:

• Ravindra Jadeja (4) was caught at mid-on
• Shreyas Iyer (49 off 47 balls) was bowled after the ball deflected off his bat

India slipped from 234/2 to 242/5, leaving them needing 59 runs from 53 balls, turning the match into a tense finish.

Lower Order Holds Nerve to Seal the Win

Harshit Rana played a brave cameo, scoring 29 off 23 balls, including a six off Clarke. He was dismissed when 22 runs were needed off 22 balls, edging to the wicketkeeper.

At the other end, KL Rahul stayed calm and composed. He finished unbeaten on 29 off 21 balls, hitting:

• A lap shot for four
• A cover drive for four
• A six off Clarke

Rahul sealed the win in the 49th over, with Washington Sundar (7)* providing support at the end.

Key Performances and Series Impact

• Harshit Rana: 2 wickets for 65 runs and 29 crucial runs
• Virat Kohli: Match-defining 93 while anchoring the chase
• Kyle Jamieson: 4/41, nearly turning the game for New Zealand

With Rishabh Pant sidelined due to injury and Shreyas Iyer showing good form, India head into the second ODI in Rajkot on January 14 with confidence and momentum.

India Extend Strong ODI Record Against New Zealand

This victory marks India’s 63rd ODI win over New Zealand in 121 matches, once again highlighting India’s dominance in home ODI series against the Black Caps.

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