India Beat New Zealand by 4 Runs Under DLS Method in Rain-Hit Second ODI, Take 2-0 Series Lead
Wellington, 7th November 2026: India defeated New Zealand by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-affected second ODI in Wellington on Saturday, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
After winning the toss, India elected to bowl first and restricted New Zealand to 134 runs in 41 overs. Daryl Mitchell top-scored for the hosts with 55 runs off 104 deliveries, while Mitchell Santner contributed 31.
Gurnoor Brar was India’s most successful bowler, taking four wickets for 30 runs. He was named Player of the Match. Aqib Nabi also impressed with two wickets, while Anshul Kamboj and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each.
New Zealand struggled from the outset after losing Tim Seifert for a duck in the second over. Aqib Nabi struck twice, dismissing Seifert and Will Young, who scored six runs. Kamboj then removed Henry Nicholls for 11, leaving the hosts in trouble.
Brar further dented New Zealand’s innings by dismissing Tom Latham (7) and Glenn Phillips (0) in the 20th over. Daryl Mitchell and Santner attempted to rebuild the innings, but the Indian bowlers continued to take wickets at regular intervals.
Mitchell completed his half-century in the 34th over before Axar Patel dismissed him for 55. Brar subsequently removed Santner for 31 and took his fourth wicket by dismissing Nathan Smith for three. Axar bowled Kyle Jamieson for seven, while Kamboj dismissed Blair Tickner for two to wrap up New Zealand’s innings at 134 in 41 overs.
Chasing a target of 135, India got off to a poor start as Jacob Duffy dismissed Shubman Gill for a first-ball duck. Virat Kohli (7) also fell to Duffy, while Kyle Jamieson removed Rohit Sharma for 23.
India were reduced to 40/3 after 10 overs, with New Zealand’s bowlers maintaining pressure. Axar Patel was the next to depart, scoring seven runs, before Jamieson dismissed Shreyas Iyer for 30 off 46 balls. Iyer’s innings included four boundaries and a six.
KL Rahul held one end together as wickets continued to fall. He remained unbeaten on 26 when rain interrupted play, while Naman Dhir was at the other end.
India had reached 113/7 in 26 overs when the match was stopped due to rain. According to the DLS method, India’s par score at that stage was 109, leaving the visitors four runs ahead.
Persistent rain prevented the match from resuming, and the umpires eventually called off play. India were declared winners by four runs under the DLS method, extending their series lead to 2-0.
The victory puts India in a strong position in the five-match ODI series, with New Zealand needing to win the remaining three matches to turn the contest around.
