Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium is famous as a batsman’s paradise, but on January 18, 2026, the story turned towards the moving ball. In the series finale between India And new zealandMen in Blue, led by Shubman GillOpted to field first – a decision that paid immediate dividends. As soon as the sun started setting in Indore, India’s wishes blossomed Arshdeep Singh Produced a moment of pure fast-bowling artistry that set the tone for a high-intensity powerplay.
Arshdeep Singh dismissed Henry Nicholls in the third ODI
The highlight of this third ODI will undoubtedly come on the fourth ball of the opening over. Bowling explosively with the brand new white ball, Arshdeep looked lethal from his very first step. After probing the channel for the first three balls, Arshdeep produced an absolute peach to dismiss the experienced henry nichols For a golden goose.
Operating close to the off-stump, Arshdeep took a subtle angle that shaped the ball away just enough to sow the seeds of doubt. Caught in a classic case of indecision, Nicholls attempted to retrieve his bat at the last possible microsecond. However, the late movement was very strong; The ball kissed the inside edge and hit the leg stump. It was a non-substantial but clinical dismissal that left Nicholas hanging his head back in frustration and he returned to the pavilion without opening the account. The sight of a knock back off the leg stump provided an excellent start to India, taking the visitors to 5/1 within the first four balls of the match.
Here is the video:
its a great start #TeamIndia 🔥
Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana have dismissed both the New Zealand openers.
Update ▶️ https://t.co/KR2ertVmpx#INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBANK pic.twitter.com/fyKf3g0qCO
– BCCI (@BCCI) 18 January 2026
Also read: IND vs NZ: This is the reason why Prasidh Krishna is not playing today’s match in Indore
India’s powerplay dominance puts New Zealand under pressure in Indore
The early strike by Arshdeep was the beginning of a consistent opening innings attack by the Indian fast bowlers. The pressure on the Black Caps increased after Nicholls’ departure. Just seven balls later, Harshit Rana The happiness of the Indore crowd doubled. The young fast bowler got the extra bounce to remove the dangerous devon conwaywho was captured Rohit Sharma 5. Within 1.1 overs, New Zealand found themselves reduced to 5/2, looking likely to collapse.
Despite the early carnage, New Zealand attempted to rebuild their innings Will Young And darryl mitchell. By the end of the mandatory 10-over powerplay, the visitors managed to reach 47/2, scoring at a run rate of 4.70.
While Young showed glimpses of aggression with four fours, scoring 24* off 32 balls, the discipline shown by the India trio was exceptional. Mohammad SirajAlthough he didn’t get any wickets in the opening spell, he kept things incredibly tight with an economy of 3.00, so the pressure didn’t ease easily. The strategy was clear: use early moisture and swing to keep the Kiwi middle-order quiet. with the likes of glen phillips And Michael Bracewell In hindsight, India’s ability to maintain this pressure will be the deciding factor in this series-ending encounter.
