New Zealand Creates History with First ODI Series Win in India
New Zealand achieved a remarkable milestone in cricket history. They secured their first-ever One Day International series victory on Indian soil. This triumph came after a gap of thirty-eight long years.
Decider Match Drama and Kohli's Lone Fight
The third and final ODI served as the series decider. New Zealand batted first and posted a mammoth total of 338 runs. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips powered the innings with brilliant centuries. They built a massive 219-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
India began their chase with high hopes. However, the top order collapsed early, putting immense pressure on the middle and lower batsmen. Virat Kohli stood tall amidst the ruins. He played a magnificent innings, scoring 124 runs from just 107 deliveries. His knock included eight boundaries and two sixes.
Kohli reached his century in ninety-one balls. This was his fifty-ninth List-A hundred. He now stands just one century behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of sixty List-A tons.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana provided some support from the lower order. Both batsmen scored their fifties. Unfortunately, their efforts proved insufficient to chase down the huge target.
New Zealand's Bowling Attack Seals the Win
The New Zealand bowlers delivered a disciplined performance. Zak Foulkes and Kristian Clarke claimed three wickets each. Rookie spinner Jayden Lennox also chipped in with two crucial wickets. Their combined effort restricted India and secured a historic series win for the Kiwis.
Key Statistics from the Historic Series
The series produced several notable records and statistics.
- 38 Years: New Zealand won their first ODI series in India after eight attempts since 1988. This marks a historic achievement for the visiting team.
- Virat Kohli's 10th Century: Kohli became the first batsman to score ten centuries against New Zealand. He also holds the record for the most centuries against them across all formats.
- 59 List-A Hundreds: Kohli's century was his fifty-ninth in List-A cricket. He achieved this feat in 334 innings, closing in on Sachin Tendulkar's record of 60 hundreds from 538 innings.
- Daryl Mitchell's Dominance: Player of the match Daryl Mitchell averages an impressive 74.1 against India. This is the highest average for any batsman with a minimum of 500 runs against the Indian team. He scored 352 runs in the series, including two centuries.
- First for New Zealand: This series marked the first instance where two New Zealand batsmen scored centuries in the same ODI innings against India.
The series began with India winning the first ODI by four wickets. New Zealand bounced back strongly to win the second match by seven wickets. The third ODI decided the fate of the series, with New Zealand emerging victorious.
This historic win on Indian soil will be remembered as a significant moment in New Zealand cricket. It showcases their growing prowess in the ODI format.
