Indore, Jan 18 (.) New Zealand finally ended India’s home dominance in a thrilling third ODI at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, winning by 41 runs and taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
The victory marked New Zealand’s first bilateral ODI series win in India in eight attempts since 1988, a historic moment that sparked plenty of celebration in the visitors’ camp.
India, after winning the toss, chose to bowl first, a move that initially seemed clever. Arshdeep Singh struck immediately, removing Henry Nicholls for a first-ball duck, and Harshit Rana followed by sending back Devon Conway for five.
New Zealand were reeling at 5 for 2 inside two overs, but Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips then produced a masterclass to swing the game.
Mitchell, in sublime touch, batted with composure and power, scoring 137 off 131 balls with 15 fours and three sixes. Phillips, after a cautious start, accelerated beautifully, blasting 106 off 88 balls, including 9 fours and three sixes. The pair stitched together a colossal 219-run fourth-wicket partnership, taking New Zealand from the brink to a commanding total.
The late overs belonged to Michael Bracewell, whose 28 off 18 balls, featuring three sixes and a boundary with clever placement, helped New Zealand finish at 337 for 8. Kristian Clarke added a quickfire 11.
When Phillips executed a direct hit to wrap up the proceedings, he punched the air in pure ecstasy, and the celebrations across the New Zealand camp reflected just how significant this victory was. From 0-1 down in the series, New Zealand had mounted a superb comeback to register their first-ever ODI series win in India.
For India, Arshdeep and Harshit shared the spoils with three wickets each, while Zakary Foulkes and Kristian Clarke also claimed three scalps apiece. Jayden Lennox took two, and Mohammed Siraj bowled economically with 1 for 43.
Chasing 338, India began cautiously. Rohit Sharma made 11, Shubman Gill 23, and Shreyas Iyer 3. Virat Kohli led with a sparkling 124 off 108 balls, but lacked substantial support. Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 53, Harshit Rana 52, and Ravindra Jadeja 12. The lower order couldn’t maintain the required run rate, and India were bowled out for 296 in 46 overs. Arshdeep remained unbeaten on 4, and Kuldeep Yadav scored 5.
The defeat carries heavy historical significance. It was India’s first loss at Indore after seven consecutive ODI wins at the venue. It also ended India’s 13-game streak of home ODI wins after winning the toss, dating back to October 2022.
India’s home bilateral ODI record since 2016 now stands at three wins and two defeats against Australia, and 13 wins with just one defeat against other teams, the sole blemish being today’s loss to New Zealand.
From 0-1 down, New Zealand mounted a remarkable comeback, with Mitchell and Phillips playing starring roles both with bat and in key moments, and the celebrations in their camp underscored just how monumental this victory is.
With the T20 series looming, India will need to regroup quickly to stop the visitors from completing a historic sweep.
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