IND vs NZ 1st ODI HIGHLIGHTS: India beat New Zealand by 4 wickets in the first of the three-match ODI series at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, Kotambi in Vadodara. While New Zealand posted 300/8 in 50 overs, India chased it down with an over to spare with Virat Kohli top-scoring (93).
Rohit Sharma also got off to a good start but fell for 26. Kohli fell tantalisingly close to a record 54th ODI hundred, falling to Kyle Jamieson but only after becoming the fastest to 28,000 international runs. Jamieson was the best New Zealand bowler on display, finishing with 4 wickets on 41 runs.
Earlier, New Zealand openers Devon Conway (56) and Henry Nicholls (62) set a solid foundation for the Kiwis before the Indian bowlers made a comeback. However, in the end it was Daryl Mitchell’s 84 that propelled the BlackCaps to 300/8 in their 50 overs. Mohammed Siraj (2/40), Prasidh Krishna (2/60) and Harshit Rana (2/65) shared 6 wickets between them with Kuldeep Yadav getting a wicket. One batter got run out to a brilliant direct-hit throw from Shreyas Iyer.
For India, other than Kohli, it was Shubman Gill who scored 56 runs off 61 balls. However, in the end it needed KL Rahul’s unbeaten 29 off 21 and Harshit Rana’s 29 off 23 to take the team over the line. The match also marked India’s rare return to the field after a rare 22-day pause, the only one currently bringing India’s senior batting duo Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma together.
New Zealand in India, 3 ODI Series, 2026
India
306/6 (49.0)
New Zealand
300/8 (50.0)
Match Ended ( Day – 1st ODI )
India beat New Zealand by 4 wickets
Shreyas Iyer proves his fitness
The return of Shreyas Iyer after injury strengthened the core. He not only scored 49 but had already taken a sharp catch and affected a superb run out before his turn with the bat.
Pitch, conditions and playing XIs
The Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara hosted its first men’s international, with clear skies and pleasant temperatures forecast. India opted to bowl first and the although the surface looked a bit two-pacy at times, it was an even conditions between the bat and ball.
India (Playing XI):
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
New Zealand (Playing XI):
Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wicketkeeper), Michael Bracewell (captain), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok
IND vs NZ 1st ODI HIGHLIGHTS: Here is our coverage recap of the 1st ODI between India and New Zealand.
That concludes our coverage of the 1st IND vs NZ ODI. The match had its fair share of drama but in the end India tasted a 4-wicket win. Thank you so much for joining our live coverage at Financial Express. The second match of the series is on Wednesday (January 14) but we will be bringing in more stories from the world of sports. Until then, take care and good night.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI: Virat Kohli bags the Player of the Match award
"I send my awards to my mum, she's proud of them. If I look back at my whole journey, it's nothing short of a dream come true. I always knew my abilities and had to work to get where I have. God's given me way too much, I have a lot of gratitude. Honestly, the way I'm playing, I'm not thinking milestones. If we were batting first, I'd have gone harder. The experience does kick in, but the main thing was to get the team ahead and to a winning position. The basic idea is I bat at No. 3 and if the situation is tricky, I try to counterattack without playing outrageous shots. I felt today, we can string in a quick partnership in the first 20 balls. (On cheers when the batter ahead of him gets out) I honestly don't feel good about it, I've seen it with MS too. I understand the crowd get excited. I just try to keep the focus on the game. I feel grateful, it's a blessing (that people come and watch him). Makes me happy when I see happy faces," Kohli in quite a detailed chat with Harsha Bhogle.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI: India captain Shubman Gill confirms Washington Sundar has a side strain
"Always feels great to chip, especially when you're chasing. Staying in the present is most important, esp for athletes. That's what I try to do. At the moment, Kohli's making batting look easy, it's tough to start on these pitches. Tough to replicate what he does. Hope he keeps piling on runs. Arshdeep did well last series, Siraj wasn't there, we want to keep rotating as there aren't that many ODIs. Washington has a side strain, will go for a scan after the match," Gill says.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI: New Zealand captain shares his thoughts on the game
"We can be proud of our efforts. There's a few areas we'd like to tidy up. Would've been an interesting game had we got 20 more. I was hoping Kyle could bowl 15 overs today. Always good to see him charging in. We have some great experience with bat, will rely on that. Mitchell did a great job. We talk about having match-changing moment in the field," Bracewell says.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI: Rahul heaps praise on Rana after the match
"Rana did the job, took pressure off me. Chase became easier with his striking. I was calm towards the end. We weren't chasing too many, at this level you're expected to chase 6, 6.5 rpo 9 out of 10 times. I didn't know Washi couldn't run. He timed it well. We ensured dots didn't pile up. Pitch played the same for 100 overs, New ball is the best time to bat. Rohit, Gill, and Virat's partnerships found the right tempo. It got slower later on but the batters up top made it easier for us. We've had a lot of last-over finishes vs NZ, they find ways to get back in the game. Look forward to the rest of the games," Rahul tell the broadcasters after the match.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Scores: That's it, that's the game! SIX to win! India win by 4 wickets
SIX to seal a win. IND beat NZ by 4 wickets. What a finish from Rahul.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Scores: FOUR MORE!!
India now need 1 run to win. It's not going to the final over or is it?
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Scores: Here comes the boundary! It's KL Rahul
48.4 | FOUR
KL Rahul shows his innovation late in the innings. Reading the cutter early, he gets inside the line of a length ball on the pads and deftly scoops it over short fine leg. The placement is spot on, and the ball runs away to the fence for a smart boundary.
Still run a ball needed. 12 needed to win off 12 deliveries. Clarke bowling the 49th over. Runs coming in ones and twos and but that should be enough for India to win it from here.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Scores: Sundar survives!
Washington Sundar survives! Should have been a catch but pressure getting to the Kiwis now. Still a single.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Scores: Zak Foulkes will bowl out
Zak Foulkes will bowl out. His final over, the 48th of the innings. At one point, it felt like the match would get over with a few balls to spare but that was not to be.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Washington Sundar has joined KL Rahul
Rahul trying to keep one end steady while all-rounders around him trying to play the risky shots. The equation as it turns out is 18 needed to win off 18 deliveries.
46.2 | WICKET
Kristian Clarke has the last laugh as Harshit Rana’s lively cameo comes to an end. Clarke digs it into the surface once again, hitting the deck hard with a cross-seam delivery on off stump. Rana looks to clear the front leg and swing hard, but the ball climbs more than expected and takes a thick top edge.
It loops gently towards the wicketkeeper and Mitchell Hay moves across to complete a comfortable catch. Rana’s brisk knock of 29 off 23 balls, including two fours and a six, draws to a close, giving New Zealand a timely breakthrough in the closing stages.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Rana finds another boundary!
46.1 | FOUR
Kristian Clarke offers a low full toss and Harshit Rana wastes no time in putting it away. He clears his front leg, gets his weight into the shot and drills the drive firmly along the ground through the cover gap, picking up a valuable boundary at the death.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: 8 runs coming off the over
8 runs coming off the over. All through proper cricketing strokes. No risks taken. India- 275/5 after 46 overs. Rahul- 9* off 12, Harshit- 25* off 21. India need 26 runs from 24 balls.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Bracewell bowling the 46th over
7 overs, none for 48, for Bracewell. He has been trusted for a pressure over here.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: SIX over midwicket! Rana has delivered!
Cracking shot. This one's short of a length from Clarke and Rana waits for his chance before pulling it over the leg side fence for a maximum. Brilliant batting from the right-hander. India now need 34 runs from 30 balls.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Harshit Rana survives!
43.5 | NO RUN
A massive let-off for Harshit Rana as New Zealand put down a straightforward chance at long-on. Foulkes bangs it into the pitch and Rana goes for the pull, not quite getting enough on it as the ball hangs in the air. Daryl Mitchell moves in from the boundary and gets both hands to what should have been a regulation catch, attempting to take it in front of his chest while lunging forward.
The ball spills out at the last moment, dropping beside him, and Rana, who had already begun the walk back, is called through to stay. With the batters hesitant after the drop, no run is taken, and India survive a big scare late in the innings.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Crowd having their money's worth
Not too much cricket in Vadodara but this is a classic contest ere. The game having its share of drama. Ups and downs and now out of nowhere this one's heading to a climactic end.
Men in Blue need 50 runs to win off 42 deliveries. 5 wickets in hand. New Zealand have done remarkably well to bring the match to this stage.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Much needed boundary off the bat of Harshit
42.6 | FOUR
Harshit Rana finally releases the pressure with a boundary to close out the over. Kristian Clarke bowls it full around off and Rana quickly makes room, freeing his arms to slash hard through the off side. He finds the gap at backward point and the ball races away, ending a long boundary drought for India.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Who are the two batters in the middle?
Harshit Rana and KL Rahul to see India through from here?
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Jamieson the wrecker-in-chief for New Zealand
Kylie Jamieson the wrecker-in-chief for New Zealand. He finishes his 10 overs for 41 runs and 4 wickets. Superb from the lanky pacer. He has kept the fight alive and ensured it's not exactly a walk in the park for the Indian batters because that's what it looked like at one point.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Iyer departs for 49!
After Jadeja, Jamieson takes out Iyer, marking his 4th wicket of the game. Jamieson tricked Iyer with a slower one at 128ks, cross-seamer. Shreyas played around it, tried to flick it through mid-on but played down the wrong line - a slightly wider one than the initial one. Length ball goes through the gate and dinks off the stump.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Jamieson dismisses Jadeja
Two in the over, soft dismissal this time. 128ks cross-seam ball on a fullish length angling in, Jadeja into the flick too early, spoons it straight to mid-on. He almost whacks the bat into the ground on his way out.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Kohli out for 93!! ANTI-CLIMAX!
Woah! Bit of an anti-climax here. Kohli has hit it straight to the man at mid off. He falls for 93. IND- 234/3.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: Both batters approaching their half-centuries
Virat Kohli in his 90s, Shreyas Iyer past 45. Quite an eventful moments ahead as India also close in on a win in this series opener.
India need 71 runs from 72 balls. They are 230/2 after 38 overs. Jamieson and Ashok the only two wicket-takers for New Zealand.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI Live Cricket Score: What a shot from Shreyas Iyer! Brilliant
36.3 | FOUR
Despite the sluggish surface, Shreyas Iyer shows confidence in the bounce. Foulkes offers just enough width outside off and Shreyas seizes the opportunity, standing tall and playing a controlled upper-cut. He extends his arms over his head and guides the ball fine of short third, watching it race away to the boundary.
IND vs NZ Live Cricket Score, 1st ODI: 36 overs bowled
India- 220/2 after 36 overs. Shreyas Iyer- 37* off 32, Virat Kohli- 89* off 84. India need • India need 81 from 84 balls. Chase master anchoring another India run chase. Another stadium where he could get to those triple figures. What a man. What a career!