Picture : ICC/X
New Zealand is a team that always punches above it’s weight. And this time without big names they shocked India by winning the three- match ODI series 2-1 . The gritty Blacks caps won the third ODI at Indore by 41 runs. It was their first ODI series win in India .
Earlier India Skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bowl first. And the move appararently courtesy poor bowling in the middle overs saw the Kiwis post a mammoth total of 337/8 after initial jolts .
Kiwis lost seasoned opener Devon Conway early ( 5) , Henry Nicholls ( 0), Will Young ( 30). But the men who took the game away from India were the two brilliant centurions – Daryl Mitchell 137 ( 131 balls , 15 fours, 3 sixes) and dasher Glenn Phillips 106 ( 88 balls, 9 fours, 3 sixes), Skipper Michael Bracewell was not out 28 , Mitchell Hay ( 2), Zakary Foulkes ( 10), Kristian Clarke ( 11) and Kyle Jamieson not out ( 0). Black caps finishing strongly and setting up target to challenge India .
India bowling fell apart : Arshdeep Singh 3/63( 10 overs), Harshit Rana 3/84 ( 10 overs), Mohammed Siraj 1/43( 10 overs), Nitish Kumar Reddy 0/53 ( 8 overs), Kuldeep Yadav 1/48 ( 6 overs), Rabvindra Jadeja 141 ( 6 overs)
India needed a good start but lost wickets regularly and that dented their chase. Rohit Sharma fell for 11. Skipper Shubman Gill 23 , Shreyas Iyer 3, K L Rahul 1 . The Innings was in tatters .
Imperious Virat Kohli showed grit intent and desire as he smashed his superb 45th ODI ton an attacking innings of 124 ( 108 balls, 10 foyurs 3 sixes) . Virat held up one end and was unfortunately losing his partners quickly . Till Virat was there there was hope . under fire Nitish Reddy scored 53. Maiden ODI fifty by Harshit Rana ( 52), Ravindfra Jadeja ( 12), Mohammed Siraj ( 0), Kuldeep Yadav ( 5), Arshdeep Singh not out 4. India bowled out for 296/10 ( 46 overs)
New Zealand : Kyle Jamieson 1/58 ( 9 overs), Zakary Foulkes 3/77 ( 9 overs), Kristian Clarke 3/54 ( 9 overs), Jayden Lennox 2/42 ( 10 overs), Daryl Mitchell 0/10( 1 over), Glenn Phillips 0/54 ( 8 overs)
Match: 3rd ODI
Venue: Indore | Date: January 18, 2026
