New Zealand defeated India by 41 runs in the third ODI in Indore to register their first-ever bilateral ODI series win on Indian soil, ending the series 2-1 after a dramatic match.
New Zealand, batting first at the Holkar Stadium, recovered from early troubles to post a strong 337 for 8 in their 50 overs, a total that proved just beyond India’s reach.
India struck early after the toss, reducing New Zealand to 5 for 2 within three overs. Harshit Rana removed Will Young and Henry Nicholls ran himself out, giving the hosts a dream start.
That momentum quickly dissipated as Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips took control. The pair added a whopping 219 runs for the fourth wicket, completely changing the game.
Mitchell played the anchor role with an excellent 137, while Phillips chased the bowling with a counter-attacking 106. India struggled to reply as the ball kept disappearing into the stands.
Despite some late wickets, including three for Arshdeep Singh, New Zealand crossed the 330 mark and was always going to test India’s batting depth under pressure.
India’s chase revolved around Virat Kohli, who produced a classic ODI innings. Kohli scored his 54th ODI hundred, making 124 and keeping hopes alive deep into the chase.
He found strong support from Nitish Reddy, who hit his maiden ODI fifty with a composed 53. Harshit Rana then surprised everyone with a fearless late cameo, swinging the momentum back to India.
With 108 needed from the last 10 overs, India briefly looked ahead. The crowd felt something special as Kohli started finding the boundary again.
The turning point came when Zakary Foulkes struck twice in one over, eliminating Rana and Mohammed Siraj. Suddenly the chase fell apart, leaving Kohli with too much to do.
Kohli managed a couple of late boundaries but missed one in the deep. India were bowled out for 296 in 46 overs and fell short despite a courageous return.
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