India secured a hard-fought four-wicket victory against New Zealand in the opening match of their three-game ODI series at Vadodara's Reliance Stadium on Sunday. Chasing a target of 301, the hosts reached 306 for six in 49 overs, but not before surviving a tense late collapse that tested their nerve.
Kohli's Masterclass and a Late Wobble
The chase was masterfully anchored by the experienced Virat Kohli, who scored a fluent 93 runs from just 91 deliveries. He forged a crucial 118-run partnership for the second wicket with captain Shubman Gill, who contributed 56. India appeared to be cruising towards the target, needing just 67 runs from the final 66 balls with seven wickets in hand after Kohli's dismissal in the 40th over.
However, New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson sparked a collapse, removing Kohli seven short of his century and then taking the wickets of Shreyas Iyer (49) and Ravindra Jadeja (4) in quick succession. The momentum swung briefly towards the Black Caps, putting the Indian middle order under serious pressure.
Rahul and Rana Steer India Home
Amidst the flurry of wickets, the cool-headed KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 29 to guide the team over the line. He found an able partner in Harshit Rana, who smashed a quick 29 off 17 balls. Their 37-run partnership for the seventh wicket proved decisive. Washington Sundar, batting with an injury, was at the other end on 7 not out when the winning runs were scored. New Zealand's efforts were further hampered by dropped catches in the closing stages.
Kohli's Historic Milestone and NZ's Fighting Total
During his innings, Virat Kohli achieved a monumental personal milestone. He became the fastest batter in history to score 28,000 runs in international cricket, surpassing the legendary Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer overall, behind only Sachin Tendulkar.
Earlier, after being sent in to bat, New Zealand posted a competitive 300 for 8. Their innings was built on a solid 117-run opening stand between Devon Conway (56) and Henry Nicholls (62). A middle-order slide was arrested by Daryl Mitchell, who top-scored with a brisk 84 off 71 balls. Debutant Kristian Clarke provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 24 off 17 deliveries. For India, pacer Harshit Rana was instrumental in pulling things back, with his second spell yielding 2 wickets for just 13 runs.
Despite the victory, the late-order stumble will give the Indian think-tank something to ponder as they look to seal the series in the upcoming matches. The win gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match contest.
