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New Zealand pulled off a stunning seven-wicket victory over India in the second ODI at Niranjan Shah Stadium, chasing down 285 with Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 131 anchoring a clinical chase, leveling the three-match series 1-1. Mitchell (131 off 117) and Will Young (87) forged a match-winning 162-run stand, guiding the Black Caps to 286/3 in 47.3 overs after India posted 284, setting up a decider. The win highlighted New Zealand’s resilience despite a second-string squad, as noted by batter Henry Nicholls pre-match.
KL Rahul’s gritty century—becoming the first Indian to score a ton at the venue—propelled India to a competitive total on a flat pitch expected to favor batsmen. Rahul anchored the innings amid contributions from the middle order, but New Zealand’s bowlers struck back to keep the game alive. Early Kiwi wickets fell—Devon Conway (16) and Nicholls (10)—but Mitchell and Young’s partnership dismantled India’s attack, exploiting the batting-friendly surface.
Virat Kohli eyed records and a No. 1 ranking return, but the focus shifted to Ravindra Jadeja’s white-ball revival on home turf, with selectors resting Axar Patel. Jadeja, a Test titan since 2018, aimed to reclaim ODI fluency amid competition. Jamieson’s duel with Kohli promised fireworks, though Mitchell stole the show.
The series now heads to the finale, with stakes high ahead of the T20 World Cup. India’s bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav who broke the Mitchell-Young stand, rued middle-over lapses. New Zealand’s chase avenged their first ODI loss, proving their brink-pushing prowess.
