Overview
- Daryl Mitchell finished 131 not out and shared a 162-run stand with Will Young, who made 87, as the visitors reached 286 with 15 balls to spare.
- KL Rahul’s 112 not out, the first ODI hundred by an Indian at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium, took India to 284/7 as Kristian Clarke claimed 3/56 and bowled Virat Kohli for 23.
- New Zealand’s slow bowlers contained India, with debutant Jayden Lennox returning 1/42 and Michael Bracewell 1/34, while India’s spinners conceded heavily as Kuldeep Yadav went for 1/82.
- A dropped catch gave Mitchell a life on 80, and captain Shubman Gill said India failed to take wickets in the middle overs and needed to be braver with the ball.
- The series stands 1-1 ahead of the January 18 finale in Indore, with Kohli having recently reclaimed the ICC No. 1 ODI batting ranking.