India skipper Shubman Gill said that while he thought skittling out New Zealand for just 135 would lead to a textbook-easy chase, but it was different story altogrther.
“As long as we get the win. It wasn’t easy batting. Getting them out at 134, I thought it’ll be an easy target, but it wasn’t. Happy we got there in the end. The pitch was challenging, but we lost two extra wickets than we’d have liked in the end,” Gill said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
After suffering initial jitters, India’s KL Rahul drove a four-wicket win over New Zealand in a rain-affected low-scoring second ODI on Saturday.
Embracing the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the second ODI at Wellington on November 7, 2026, India have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.
The third match will be held in Hamilton on Tuesday.
New Zealand were bowled out for 134 in 41 overs after India’s bowlers produced an impressive performance. In reply, India, chasing 135, were struggling at 113/7 in 26 overs when rain forced the match to be abandoned.
India were four runs ahead of the DLS par score of 109 at the time of the stoppage, securing a four-run victory.
Gurnoor Brar was the standout performer for India, claiming four wickets for 30 runs in his 10 overs. Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi and Axar Patel picked up two wickets each as New Zealand struggled against India’s bowling attack.
Daryl Mitchell was the highest scorer for New Zealand with 55 runs, while captain Mitchell Santner contributed 31 runs. The pair added 59 runs for the sixth wicket to provide some resistance after New Zealand lost early wickets.
India Struggle During Run Chase
India’s chase got off to a difficult start as Shubman Gill was dismissed for a golden duck, while Virat Kohli managed just seven runs. Rohit Sharma scored 17 runs before departing.
Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul attempted to stabilise the innings with a 46-run partnership. Iyer scored 30 runs, while Rahul remained unbeaten on 23 when rain interrupted play.
India eventually secured the match through the DLS method, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. The third ODI is scheduled to be played on November 10.