New Zealand Levels ODI Series with Impressive Win Over India

New Zealand's Dominance in Second ODI

In a remarkable display, New Zealand outperformed India on their home ground, with Daryl Mitchell's outstanding unbeaten 131 overshadowing KL Rahul's impressive century. This victory allowed New Zealand to equalize the three-match ODI series at 1-1, winning by seven wickets at the Niranjan Shah Stadium on Wednesday.

Despite Rahul's commendable 112 not out off 91 balls, India could only muster 284/7. New Zealand chased down the target comfortably, finishing at 286 for three in just 47.3 overs.

The final ODI, which will determine the series winner, is set to take place in Indore on Sunday.

Mitchell and Will Young, key players in New Zealand's previous Test series triumph over India, showcased their batting skills, maintaining composure even as the required run rate climbed above six per over.

Their partnership flourished, accumulating 162 runs off 152 balls, with no significant setbacks to disrupt their momentum.

Young contributed a solid 87 runs from 98 balls, while Mitchell displayed his versatility with the bat, employing various sweep shots to secure his third century against India, finishing with 131 runs off 117 balls, including 11 fours and 2 sixes.

This ODI victory also highlighted a recurring issue for India, as their spin attack struggled against New Zealand's bowlers, a trend that has persisted in Test matches for the past two years.

Jayden Lennox, making his debut as a left-arm spinner in place of Mitchell Santner, effectively contained the Indian batsmen, returning figures of 1 for 42 in 10 overs. In contrast, Kuldeep Yadav's performance was less effective, as he conceded 82 runs for just one wicket.

Kuldeep's attempts to flight the ball led to a dropped catch by Prasidh Krishna, allowing Mitchell to continue his innings after reaching 80.

Although Kuldeep eventually dismissed Young, Mohammed Siraj's leg-before appeal against Mitchell was overturned after a DRS review revealed an inside edge.

Michael Bracewell also contributed with tidy bowling, achieving 1 for 34 in his 10 overs, while the New Zealand spinners collectively allowed just 89 runs for two wickets in 23 overs.

In contrast, India's spinners, including Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja, conceded 126 runs for just one wicket in their combined 18 overs.

New Zealand's batting remained steady, even as Harshit Rana and Siraj applied pressure with the new ball, reaching 34/1 after the powerplay.

Rana's bowling was particularly effective, as he dismissed Devon Conway, who had started positively with three boundaries.

Earlier, KL Rahul anchored India's innings on a challenging pitch, scoring an unbeaten 112 off 92 balls, featuring 11 fours and two sixes. He formed crucial partnerships in the latter half of the innings, regaining control after a shaky start.

India had initially faltered, slipping from 99 for one to 118 for four, as New Zealand's disciplined bowling took effect.

Captain Shubman Gill also made a significant contribution with 56 runs off 53 balls, marking his second consecutive half-century.

However, both Gill and Shreyas Iyer fell victim to poor shots, with Gill's dismissal particularly disappointing as he misjudged a delivery from Kyle Jamieson.

Virat Kohli's wicket was another blow for India, as he fell for 23 after a thick inside edge sent his middle stump tumbling.

Ravindra Jadeja, cheered on by the home crowd, added 27 runs and formed a vital 73-run partnership with Rahul for the fifth wicket.