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Fans go wild as Virat Kohli and Harshit Rana lead India to a thrilling ODI win over New Zealand in Vadodara

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In an exciting match at the brand new Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, India achieved a thrilling victory by 4 wickets new zealand Have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Chasing strong target of 301, Men in Blue rely on masterclass Virat Kohli And a fearless all-rounder cameo Harshit Rana Crossing the boundary with six balls remaining.

Earlier in the day, the Kiwis were trailing at 300/8 darryl mitchell84 were scored in the counter-attack, but India’s resilience ensured a perfect start to their 2026 domestic season. The match featured Kohli achieving the historic feat of 28,000 international runs on his daughter’s 5th birthday. Despite a late wobble where India slipped to 242/5, lower-order stability saw the hosts win in the final over. The win is India’s first ODI win at this venue, setting an impressive tone for the remainder of the series.

IND vs NZ, 1st ODI: Virat Kohli masterclass and historic 28,000 milestone

after leaving early Rohit Sharma On 26, Kohli was out with a deafening roar and immediately took control of the 301-run target with surgical precision. He led the innings with a brilliant 93 off 91 balls, punishing the Kiwi pacers for any kind of width and manipulating the gaps with his trademark wrist flick.

During this innings, Kohli became the fastest player in history to score 28,000 international runs, achieving the feat in his 624th innings. Sachin TendulkarHe had a partnership of 123 runs with Shubman Gill (56) neutralized New Zealand’s spin attack and put India in a position of complete command by the 30th over. Even when approaching a century, Kohli maintained a high strike rate, ensuring that the required run rate never went beyond reach despite the increasing pressure of chasing the target.

However, just as the century seemed certain, he was brilliantly caught Michael Bracewell Close kyle jamisonLeft the stadium in stunned silence. Despite missing out on the individual milestone of a century, his innings provided the foundation on which India’s victory was built. Kohli’s presence at the crease acted as stability Shreyas IyerWho played a supporting role of 49 runs to keep the scoreboard intact. This knock further cemented his position as the premier ‘chess master’ of the modern era, especially on such an important individual date.

See also: IND vs NZ: Shreyas Iyer sends Michael Bracewell with rocket throw during Vadodara ODI

India vs New Zealand, 1st ODI: Harshit Rana’s all-round heroics stunned Black Caps

Harshit emerged as the unsung hero of the match, producing brilliant performances with both ball and bat to tilt the game in India’s favour. In the first innings, it was Rana who provided the crucial breakthrough by dismissing both the set openers, devon conway And henry nicholsBreaking the opening partnership of 117 runs in consecutive overs, as he finished with figures of 2/65.

When he came to the crease when India needed 59 runs from 45 balls and the specialist batsmen had returned to the pavilion, Rana showed amazing flair as a young all-rounder. He played a fearless inning of 29 runs off just 23 balls, including a huge six over long-on, which brought the momentum back towards the hosts. His ability to find boundaries in the death overs reduced the pressure KL RahulWhich allowed the senior pro to finally seal the game in the final over.

Although Rana was out in the 47th over, his contribution had already reduced the equation to a manageable run-a-ball scenario. Along with his early wickets, this performance has firmly established Rana as a serious contender for the seam-bowling all-rounder spot. Their energy in the field and defiance under pressure were the final ingredients India needed to overcome a disciplined New Zealand unit.

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See also: IND vs NZ: Prasidh Krishna clean bowled Mitchell Hay from Jaffa in the first ODI

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