India's ODI Nightmare: Historic Collapse Against New Zealand

In a shocking turn of events, India's cricket team faced a historic collapse against New Zealand, losing three wickets without scoring a single run. This unprecedented event has drawn comparisons to their 2019 World Cup semifinal disaster. Key players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both fell for ducks, marking a dismal start to their innings while chasing a target of 334 runs. The match saw New Zealand post a formidable score of 333, with standout performances from Will Young and Tim Seifert. This article delves into the details of India's nightmarish start and the implications for the team moving forward.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 13, 2026, 13:08 IST

India's Disastrous Start in ODI Match

Mount Maunganui [New Zealand], November 13: In a shocking turn of events, India's top order faced a catastrophic beginning reminiscent of their 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal against New Zealand. For the first time in ODI history, the Indian team lost three wickets without scoring a single run. Key players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both fell for ducks.

While chasing a target of 334 runs, India stumbled right from the start. Rohit was dismissed on the very first ball, marking his second duck of the series. Just moments later, Virat was bowled out by a brilliant delivery from Henry, and stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer was leg-before-wicket, concluding a disastrous first over. This scenario echoed the 2019 World Cup semifinal, where Henry claimed two of the three wickets, leaving India in dire straits at 5/3 while chasing 241 runs in Manchester. Ultimately, India lost that match by 18 runs, resulting in a heartbreaking exit from the tournament.

This incident marks the first occasion where India has lost three wickets without any runs in an ODI, and it is only the fifth occurrence in ODI history. Pakistan has achieved this feat twice, while Bangladesh and Australia have done it once each. Additionally, this is the second time both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have recorded ducks in an ODI, the first being against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in 2010. Notably, this is also the first time Rohit has been dismissed on the first ball of an innings, a record previously held by Saurav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag, each with three such dismissals. Rohit and Virat have struggled against Matt Henry, with Rohit managing only 57 runs off 71 balls against him, having been dismissed three times. His average against Henry is a mere 19, with a strike rate of 80.28. Virat has fared slightly better, scoring 59 runs in 60 balls against Henry, also dismissed three times, with a strike rate of 98.33.

Following the loss of Ruturaj Gaikwad for just five runs off 13 balls, India found themselves at a dismal 9/4. This marks the second instance where India lost their first four wickets for under 10 runs in an ODI, the first being during the iconic 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells. In that match, captain Kapil Dev's remarkable 175* helped India reach a total of 266/8, which ultimately secured victory. In the fourth ODI against India at Bay Oval, New Zealand set a formidable target of 333 runs, bolstered by a fiery century from Will Young and a half-century from Tim Seifert. After India opted to field first, Young and Seifert formed an 85-run partnership, with Seifert scoring 58 runs off 48 balls, including six fours and three sixes. Despite a brief slump that saw New Zealand at 125/3, Young and Finn Allen (41 off 30 balls) added another 90 runs together. Young's impressive innings of 125 runs off 108 balls included 14 fours and four sixes. Contributions from Mitchell Santner (24), Kristian Clarke (22), and Kyle Jamieson (19*) helped New Zealand surpass the 300-run mark, finishing at 333. Axar Patel, Auqib Nabi, and Gurnoor Brar each took two wickets in standout bowling performances.