Rajkot, Jan 14: New Zealand produced a commanding all-round performance to beat India by seven wickets in the second ODI at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, levelling the three-match series 1–1 and setting up a mouth-watering decider.
Chasing a challenging 285, the Kiwis were led by a superb, unbeaten century from Daryl Mitchell, whose calm yet authoritative knock anchored New Zealand’s highest successful ODI run chase on Indian soil. Mitchell found an ideal partner in Will Young, and the duo stitched together a match-defining 162-run stand that took the game away from the hosts.
India had started strongly after opting to bat first. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill laid a steady foundation, but New Zealand struck back through smart bowling changes. Gill completed a fluent half-century before falling, and India slipped to 118/4 as the Kiwi spinners tightened the screws.
KL Rahul then played a crucial anchoring role, registering his eighth ODI century to guide India to a competitive 284, with support from Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Debutant Jayden Lennox and skipper Michael Bracewell were the standout bowlers for New Zealand, ensuring the total stayed under 300.
India’s bowlers began well in defence, with Harshit Rana striking early and Mohammed Siraj keeping things tight. However, the middle overs proved decisive. The spinners failed to apply sustained pressure, and a dropped chance off Mitchell — on the boundary — proved costly. From there, New Zealand controlled the chase, with Glenn Phillips providing the finishing touches.
Mitchell was named Player of the Match, calling it an honour to contribute to a rare ODI win in India and praising Young for his support at the other end. Bracewell hailed it as a “complete performance,” while Indian skipper Shubman Gill admitted missed chances and lack of middle-overs wickets hurt his side.
With the series tied, all eyes now turn to Indore, where the third and final ODI will be played on Saturday, January 18, starting at 1:30 pm IST. Notably, New Zealand have never won a bilateral ODI series in India — a record that adds extra edge to what promises to be a high-stakes decider.
Source:BCCI
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