A heartening result for the home fans in Indore, a heroic effort Virat Kohli (124) and Harshit Rana (52) New Zealand proved to be in vain as they claimed their first ODI series win on Indian soil. Despite Kohli’s magnificent 54th ODI century and Rana’s fearless maiden fifty, India trailed by 41 runs and finished with 296 runs chasing a mammoth 338. The match was defined by New Zealand’s relentless pressure and clinical execution, ensuring that even a legend could stop it. 2-1 series loss. When the final wicket fell in the 46th over, the Holkar Stadium witnessed a rare sight: a victorious Kiwi side celebrating a milestone that had eluded them for decades.
Virat Kohli’s 54th ODI century and Harshit Rana’s fearless resistance: A late surge that nearly stunned New Zealand
The Indian chase was the story of a lone fighter who finds unlikely allies in the dying stages of a match. Earlier in the innings, when India were 71/4, the youngster Nitish Kumar Reddy He played an important role in the recovery by hitting 53 off 57 balls. Reddy’s maiden ODI fifty, marked by a ‘Pushpa’ gesture, provided the initial spark for India as she combined with Kohli in an 88-run stand to steady the ship.
After his departure, Rana stepped up to join Kohli’s set and together they stitched a 99-run partnership from just 69 balls. Mostly known for his pace, Rana showed his batting range by hitting 4 fours and 4 sixes to reach his maiden ODI fifty in just 41 balls and momentarily silence the Kiwi attack. Kohli, on the other hand, was the picture of focused aggression, reaching his century off 91 balls and eventually accelerating to a superb 124.
However, the turning point came in the 46th over when Kohli tried to clear a long-standing boundary. Christian Clarkecaught by Daryl Mitchell. Rena had departed just before after a gutsy 52 and after two sets of strokes the tail could not withstand the pressure. While their combined stand brought India within striking distance, the lack of support from the middle-order specialists meant that Kohli’s masterclass, backed by heroics from Reddy and Rana, ultimately ended in defeat.
Also WATCH: IND vs NZ: Virat Kohli reacts angrily after an unexpected fielding error in Indore ODI
New Zealand’s historic ODI series win over India under the leadership of Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips
A monumental stand of 219 runs laid the foundation for New Zealand’s historic victory. Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106). After being reduced to 58/3 with an inspired opening spell from Arshdeep Singh and Rana produced a masterclass in duo counter-attack cricket and became the first Kiwi pair to score centuries in the same ODI innings against India.
Mitchell’s consecutive second ton streak and Phillips’ explosive 88-ball face-off took the visitors to a mammoth 337/8, which was always going to look daunting despite the small Indore boundaries. In the second innings, the New Zealand bowlers showed great discipline under lights, with Clarke (3/52) and Zakary Foulkes picking up wickets in quick succession to dismantle India’s top order. The clinical nature of their defense was evident as they successfully weathered the Kohli-Rana storm and stayed calm during the 21-run run. Kyle Jamieson to eventually close the tail for 296. This 41-run victory marks the first time New Zealand have won a bilateral ODI series in India, cementing the 2026 team’s place in the annals of New Zealand cricket history.
Here’s how the fans reacted:
Well done, New Zealand. Their discipline and execution of a plan is something we can all learn from.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 18, 2026
Great effort from NZ! The young team came out on top with their plans, execution, pitching and ability to stay in the game even when they fell behind, even though they were down 0-1 in the series. How many series did Daryl Mitchell make! New Zealand once again proved that India are a hardworking team. #INDvNZ
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 18, 2026
India. Chase. Virat Kohli. 👑🐐
Need we say more? 🇮🇳🔥
8️⃣5️⃣ international century for King. 🤌#PlayBold #OurRCB #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/VkLR8TUsdR
– Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) January 18, 2026
54th ODI century and 7th against New Zealand! Absolute innings of class from Virat Kohli in Indore. Congratulations @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/85wz6x8hiJ
— Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) January 18, 2026
All hail the KING once again @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/IvntNn7Oeh
— DK (@DineshKarthik) January 18, 2026
𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 played on Sunday… and how 💯
(Virat Kohli | Play With Fire | IND vs NZ) pic.twitter.com/fGwY8aLpbv
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) January 18, 2026
Passed Tests, won first ODI series – New Zealand taught India a lesson in their own backyard.
Unbelievable.
— Neal Gardner (@Nealbackup) January 18, 2026
#54 in ODI cricket.
#85 in international cricket.VIRAT KOHLI. THE BIGGEST. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/K8ZnBQrveI
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 18, 2026
85th century 🔥🔥🔥
King @imVkohli 👑 pic.twitter.com/cb2QQhfn0V
— Vamsi Kaka (@vamsikaka) January 18, 2026
New Zealand won the ODI series with a comprehensive victory in the decider against India#cricket #INDvNZ #3rdODI pic.twitter.com/I65YmCv6zI
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 18, 2026
Also WATCH: Virat Kohli’s playful gesture steals the show after Daryl Mitchell’s ODI century in Indore
