New Zealand leveled the 3-match ODI series at 1-1 with a strong 7-wicket win in the second match at Rajkot on January 14, 2026. Daryl Mitchell stole the show with an unbeaten 131 from 117 balls, steering his team past India’s 284/7 with 15 balls still left. Chasing 285, the Kiwis lost just three wickets, and their middle order finished things off with cool precision.
KL Rahul tried to keep India in the game, smashing an unbeaten 112 off 92 balls. He held the innings together after a shaky middle order, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. India’s bowlers just couldn’t break the Mitchell-Young partnership; those two put on 162 for the third wicket and pretty much took the match away from the hosts.
Match Summary: India vs New Zealand
Here is the complete match summary of this terrific chase:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| India Score | 284/7 (50 overs) |
| New Zealand Score | 286/3 (47.3 overs) |
| Match Result | New Zealand won by 7 wickets |
| Best Batting (India) | KL Rahul – 112* off 92 balls (11 fours, 1 six) |
| Best Batting (NZ) | Daryl Mitchell – 131* off 117 balls (11 fours, 2 sixes) |
| Best Bowling (India) | Harshit Rana – 1/52 in 9.3 overs (Econ: 5.47) |
| Best Bowling (NZ) | Kristian Clarke – 3/56 in 8 overs (Econ: 7.00) |
| Player of the Match | Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) |
India Innings: 284/7 in 50 Overs
India started strong in the powerplay, racking up 57 runs without losing a wicket in the first 10 overs. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill looked comfortable out there, putting together 70 runs for the first wicket. Then Kristian Clarke broke through; he got Rohit caught by Will Young for 24 off 38 balls. That gave New Zealand their first wicket in the 13th over.
Gill kept going, playing with confidence and reaching his fifty in just 47 balls, hitting 8 boundaries and a six along the way. He seemed set for a big one, but then Kyle Jamieson had him caught by Mitchell for 56. That wicket set off a bit of a collapse. India slipped from 99 for 2 to 118 for 4 pretty quickly.
Clarke came back and struck twice more, sending Virat Kohli back for 23 and Shreyas Iyer for just 8. India’s middle order stumbled, and suddenly they were under pressure at 118 for 4 in the 24th over.
That’s when KL Rahul stepped up. He and Ravindra Jadeja steadied things with a solid 73-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Jadeja eventually fell to Michael Bracewell for 27, but Rahul kept going. He brought up his fifty off 52 balls, then accelerated and reached his century in just 87 deliveries, really showing his class with some crisp shots and great timing.
Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with a quick 20 off 21 balls before Zak Foulkes got him caught by Glenn Phillips. Through it all, Rahul anchored the innings and finished unbeaten on 112, hitting 11 fours and a six at a strike rate of 121.73. India ended up at 284 for 7, setting New Zealand a target of 285.
New Zealand Chase: 286/3 in 47.3 Overs
New Zealand played it safe at the start, picking up 34 runs in the powerplay but losing Devon Conway early. Harshit Rana got Conway for 16 in the sixth over. Soon after, Henry Nicholls didn’t last long either. Prasidh Krishna bowled him for just 10, and suddenly the Kiwis were 46 for 2 in the 13th over.
Then Will Young and Daryl Mitchell stepped in and turned things around. Young kept things steady, hitting his fifty in 68 balls with seven boundaries. Mitchell was just as calm, reaching his own half-century off 52 balls, three fours and a couple of big sixes along the way.
Their partnership changed everything. Together, they knocked 162 runs off the target, dragging New Zealand from a shaky 46 for 2 to a much more comfortable 208 for 3. They didn’t let Kuldeep Yadav settle at all; he ended up giving away 82 runs from his ten overs.
Young finally fell for 87 in the 38th, caught by Nitish Kumar Reddy off Kuldeep Yadav. But the job was almost done. New Zealand needed only 77 runs from 75 balls, with seven wickets still in the bank. Glenn Phillips joined Mitchell and kept the momentum going, hammering a rapid 32 off just 25 balls, including two fours and a six.
Mitchell brought up his hundred in style; he only needed 96 balls, and really put his foot down in the closing overs. He stayed unbeaten on 131 from 117 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. New Zealand chased down the target in 47.3 overs and wrapped up the series with a dominant, convincing win.
Key Highlight: Player of the Match – Daryl Mitchell Leads the Way
Mitchell, the New Zealand veteran, put on a clinic in ODI batting. He came to the crease at 46 for 2 and just looked in control from the start. He kept the runs ticking over, found the gaps, and made sure the asking rate never got out of hand.
He and Young set things up nicely, then Mitchell teamed up with Phillips to see it through. He finished unbeaten on 131, scoring at a strike rate just under 112, smashing 11 fours and 2 sixes along the way. That innings didn’t just win him Player of the Match; it wrapped up the series for New Zealand.
Conclusion: IND vs NZ ODI Series In Now 1-1
New Zealand level the three-match ODI series 1-1, and there’s still one game left. The Kiwis just looked more settled with the bat, especially when things got tense. Their middle order stayed cool and handled the chase like pros, while India’s bowlers kept scratching their heads, trying to figure out a way through.
KL Rahul’s century was really the bright spot for India in a tough series so far. Now, the hosts will fight to avoid a clean sweep in the last game. India’s bowlers have to step up. No one managed to keep the pressure on New Zealand’s batters, and that made all the difference.
