Sunday 18 / January / 2026
Indore: An incredible lone warrior century from Virat Kohli and his 99-run stand with lower-order batter Harshit Rana, who scored his maiden ODI fifty, went in vain as New Zealand downed the Men in Blue in the third and final ODI at Indore to secure their first-ever ODI series win in India.
Centuries from Daryl Mitchell (137*) and Glenn Phillips (106) took NZ to 337/8, despite three wickets from Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. After being reduced to 5/2 and later 58/3, the duo put on a 219-run stand that put the Kiwis in a commanding position. In the chase, India was down at 71/4, but an entertaining 88-run stand between Virat and Nitish Kumar Reddy (53 in 57 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and a 99-run stand between Virat and Harshit Rana (52 in 43 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) gave India hope, with Virat producing a masterclass 108-ball 124 ball to the delight of Indore crowd. However, once he was gone, it was curtains for India who was allout for 296 in 46 overs, handing NZ the series 1-2.
During the run-chase of 338 runs, Indian skipper Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma started off decently, with the 'Hitman' getting a cover drive for four on the first ball of the innings. Gill picked up a boundary against Zak Foulkes and two successive ones against lanky Kyle Jamieson.
However, India's party was ended by Foulkes, with Rohit handing a soft catch to Kristian Clarke for a 13-ball 11, flopping in his 100th ODI at home. India was 28/1 in four overs.
Virat started off strongly, with a pull over mid-wicket against Foulkes for six. Gill was looking in a fine touch against Jamieson, scoring another boundary against him, but his off-stump took a beating in the next ball. The Indian skipper was gone for 18-ball 23, with four boundaries. India was 45/2 in 6.4 overs.
India reached the 50-run mark in 7.5 overs, courtesy of a flamboyant drive from Virat for four. The superstar batter was looking in sublime touch, getting two successive boundaries against Clarke, taking India to 66/2 in 10 overs, with Virat (28*) and Shreyas Iyer (2*) unbeaten.
Clarke and Jayden Lennox handed India a quick double whammy, as Iyer (3) and KL Rahul (1) were removed in quick succession. India was in a spot of bother at 71/4 in 12.5 overs.
Virat and Nitish Kumar Reddy started a partnership, with a fine loft over mid-off against Daryl Mitchell in 19.1 overs for four, taking India to the 100-run mark.
Virat brought up his half-century in 51 balls, with four boundaries and a six. He and Nitish looked in fine touch as they brought up their 50-run stand in 58 balls, keeping India's hopes going.
As India reached the 25th over mark, Virat and Nitish upped the ante, with Virat getting a four against Glenn Phillips and Nitish collecting a six each against Foulkes and Phillips. The second one was a beautiful slog sweep and sealed his maiden ODI fifty in 52 balls, with two fours and two sixes.
However, the 88-run partnership could not entertain fans any longer after Nitish found Will Young at short mid-wicket for 53 in 57 balls, with two fours and two sixes. India was 159/5 in 27.3 overs. Ravindra Jadeja also could not stick around, with Lennox getting him for a sluggish 16-ball 12. India was six down at 32.1 overs at 178 runs.
Harshit Rana joined Virat, who seemed stranded at the other end while marching towards his 85th international ton. Kohli collected two fine boundaries against Phillips, while Harshit also muscled a massive slog-sweep against Phillips for six just a ball after Virat had collected a four. India had their 200-run mark up in 36.3 overs.
Irrespective of the condition and match situation, Virat continued his imperious touch, marching into the 90s with a flick over deep backwards square leg for a six and then a inside out shot for four over covers. In the 40th over, Harshit collected a boundary off Foulkes, while Virat concluded the over by bringing up his 54th ODI ton, 85th international ton and seventh ODI ton in 91 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. India was at 230/6 in 40 overs, and the duo had kept the hopes alive.
Lennox ended his impressive figures at 2/42 in 10 overs, but there was no respite from Virat and Harshit as they hammered Jamieson for 21 runs, with Harshit collecting a four and six and Virat getting a six through a lofted drive over long-off. With a long heave over long-on, Harshit brought his maiden ODI fifty in 41 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes. Foulkes played the party spoiler for Indian camp, which had just started to dream again, as he ended a 99-run stand between Harshit and Virat by removing the former for a 43-ball 52, with four boundaries and four sixes and got Mohammed Siraj on the next delivery. India ended the 44th over at 277/8, needing 51 runs to win.
However, courtesy some lucky runs for Kuldeep and two successive boundaries for Virat against Clarke, India could keep dreaming. However, Clarke got the last laugh as Virat was dismissed as he skied one straight to Mitchell near the boundary. Virat was gone for 108-ball 124, with 10 fours and three sixes. India was down and out at 292/9 in 45.4 overs.
India was bundled out for 296 runs in 46 overs, with Glenn Phillips running out Arshdeep.
Clarke (3/54) and Foulkes (3/77) were the pick of the bowlers for NZ, while Lennox bowled an impressive spell of 2/42.
Earlier, a fantastic century from Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips guided New Zealand to 337/8, to post a challenging target of 338 runs for India in the series decider.
After being asked to bat first, New Zealand were off to a poor start. Speedster Arshdeep Singh clean bowled opener Henry Nicholls for a golden duck during the fourth ball of the very first over.
In the very next over, right-arm pacer Harshit Rana removed Devon Conway (5) after he edged straight to Rohit Sharma, who took a simple catch at the first slip. This was the third time Rana dismissed Conway in the ongoing ODI series.
After the end of five overs, Will Young and Daryl Mitchell took New Zealand to 27/2. After losing both openers inside the first two overs, Mitchell and Young took New Zealand to 47/2 in 10 overs.
During the first ball of the 12th over, Harshit Rana broke the 53-run partnership for the third wicket. The pacer removed Will Young (30 off 41 balls) after Ravindra Jadeja took a stunning catch at the backward point region.
After the end of 20 overs, New Zealand scored 95/3. Mitchell continued his sublime form as he scored yet another fifty in the ongoing series during the last ball of the 21st over. This was Mitchell's fourth consecutive ODI fifty against India. He is just behind Kane Williamson's (5) tally.
New Zealand crossed the 150-run mark after the end of the 29th over. During the 33rd over, Glenn Phillips completed his sixth ODI half-century. It was also the first 50-plus score in 10 ODI innings against India for Glenn Phillips as New Zealand reached 183/3.
During the fourth ball of the 36th over, Daryl Mitchell hammered his ninth ODI century in 106 deliveries. It was Mitchell's third ODI hundred in the last four innings, and second in the ongoing three-match ODI series against India.
Overall, Mitchell is just behind South African great AB de Villiers's record (5) of most hundreds against Men in Blue in India ODI cricket. This was also the fourth ODI century for Daryl Mitchell in India - the joint-most for a New Zealand batter alongside Nathan Astle (5).
After the end of the 40th over, New Zealand were in a commanding position as they reached 238/3, with the partnership for the fourth-wicket between Mitchell and Phillips was at 180 runs.
During the last ball of the 42nd over, Glenn Phillips completed his second ODI century in 83 deliveries. New Zealand reached 266/3. Notably, this was the first instance of two New Zealand batters (Mitchell and Phillips) scoring hundreds against India in the same ODI innings.
Arshdeep Singh finally broke the mammoth 219-run partnership after he dismissed Phillips during the first ball of the 44th over. Phillips played a fantastic knock of 106 off 88 deliveries, including nine fours and three sixes.
The 219-run partnership between Mitchell and Phillips was the second-highest partnership for the fourth wicket or lower against India in ODIs, behind 221* runs added by Kane Williamson and Tom Latham for the fourth wicket at Auckland in 2022.
Mohammed Siraj then removed dangerous Mitchell during the first ball of the 45th over. The right-handed batter played a classy innings, scoring 137 off 131 balls, with the help of 15 fours and three sixes.
During the second ball of the 46th over, Kuldeep Yadav got the wicket of Mitchell Hay (2) as New Zealand slumped to 286/6.
Towards the end, captain Michael Bracewell's unbeaten 28 off 18 deliveries, including four boundaries, guided New Zealand to 337/8 in 50 overs. With the ball, Arshdeep Singh (3/63) and Harshit Rana (3/84) scalped three wickets each for India.
Brief score: New Zealand 337/8 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 137, Glenn Phillips 106; Arshdeep Singh 3/63, Harshit Rana 3/84) vs India: 296 (Virat Kohli 124, Harshit Rana 52, Zak Foulkes 3/54).
