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Vadodara (Gujarat), January 11:
A brilliant knock from Virat Kohli, supported by crucial contributions from Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Harshit Rana, KL Rahul, and Washington Sundar, powered India to a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI at Vadodara on Sunday.
Chasing a competitive target of 301, India reached 306/6 in 49 overs, sealing the win in the second-last over and taking an early lead in the ODI series.
Kohli Rewrites Records in Run Chase
Opening the chase, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a steady start. After a cautious beginning, Sharma attacked the bowlers, smashing a six and a four off Kyle Jamieson. Notably, the six marked Rohit’s 650th six in international cricket.
However, Jamieson struck back to dismiss Sharma for 26 off 29 balls. India ended the powerplay at 48/1, with Gill and Kohli at the crease.
In the 13th over, Virat Kohli completed 28,000 international runs, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone in just 624 innings, surpassing legends Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.
Soon after, Kohli also overtook Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket, trailing only Tendulkar.
Gill, Iyer Keep India in Control
Kohli and Gill stitched together a crucial partnership, with both batters bringing up their half-centuries. Gill scored 56, his fifth 50-plus score against New Zealand in ODIs.
Spinner Adithya Ashok provided a breakthrough by dismissing Gill in the 27th over. Shreyas Iyer then joined Kohli and played an aggressive innings, smashing 49 runs before falling to Jamieson.
Kohli narrowly missed out on a century, departing for a magnificent 93, just seven runs short of his hundred.
Rahul–Sundar Finish the Job
New Zealand sensed an opening as Jamieson removed Ravindra Jadeja and later Shreyas Iyer, leaving India under pressure. However, Harshit Rana made a valuable contribution with 29 off 23 balls, easing the chase.
Finally, KL Rahul and Washington Sundar showed composure, forming an unbeaten partnership to guide India home and seal a memorable win.
New Zealand Post Competitive Total
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell’s powerful 84 anchored New Zealand’s innings, while Devon Conway (56) and Henry Nicholls (62) added solid half-centuries to take the visitors to 300/8 in 50 overs.
For India, Mohammed Siraj (2/40), Harshit Rana (2/65), and Prasidh Krishna (2/60) were the standout bowlers, with Kuldeep Yadav also chipping in with a wicket.
Brief Scores
- New Zealand: 300/8 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 84, Henry Nicholls 62; Mohammed Siraj 2/40)
- India: 306/6 in 49 overs (Virat Kohli 93, Shubman Gill 56; Kyle Jamieson 4/41)
Conclusion
With Virat Kohli’s masterclass and a calm finish by Rahul and Sundar, India showcased depth and resilience to clinch a thrilling victory in the opening ODI against New Zealand.
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