Rain saves India in low-scoring thriller against New Zealand

India lead the series 2-0 but had to sweat it out in Wellington. After New Zealand were bowled out for 134, India turned a modest chase of 135 into a nervous affair, losing seven wickets before rain ended the second ODI. At 113/7 after 26 overs, they were four runs clear of DLS’s par score, which was enough to seal victory but not enough to avoid the questions.

It was an unusual end to the match with the Indian bowlers firmly in control. Gurnoor Brar led the way with a career-best 4/30 while Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi and Axar Patel took two wickets each. Arshdeep Singh went wicketless but kept New Zealand quiet with an economical spell of 7-1-16-0.

India vs New Zealand 2nd ODI: HIGHLIGHTS

The batsmen could not match this effort. Shubman Gill fell for a golden duck, Virat Kohli made seven and Rohit Sharma managed 17. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul briefly brought some order to the chase with 46 runs, but the wickets kept coming. Rahul was unbeaten on 23 when the rain came, India needed 22 more runs.

SIZE IS LEAD BY INDIA’S YOUNG FARMER

The Indian bowlers gave their batsmen every reason to expect a comfortable afternoon. The match had already been reduced to 47 overs a side after overnight rain delayed the start, but the conditions suited the cricketers. The younger Indian pace options made the most of them and picked up where they left off in the opening part of the series.

Auqib Nabi finally opened his international wicket account after going wicketless in the first ODI. He removed Tim Seifert for a duck and Will Young for a six, leaving New Zealand at 11/2. Kamboj then bowled Henry Nicholls for 11 as the hosts slumped to 23/3 in nine overs. He finished with 2/25 from eight overs, taking two wickets in the series opener as well.

Gurnoor brought pace and bounce to the attack and New Zealand struggled to deal with his short-ball approach. Tom Latham mistimed the pull and was caught for seven before Glenn Phillips edged another short delivery to Kamboj at fine leg. New Zealand were suddenly 53/5, with Gurnoor striking twice in the same over.

He returned to remove Nathan Smith and Mitchell Santner to complete career best figures of 4/30 in 10 overs. Nabi finished with 2/31 while Axar took 2/28. Arshdeep was the only Indian bowler without a wicket but his spell of 16 runs in seven overs, including a maiden, kept the score in check. India sent down 176 runs to underline their control.

MITCHELL AND SANTNER DELAYED COLLAPSE

After New Zealand’s early collapse, they struggled to put together a competitive unit. Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner were the only pair to offer sustained resistance, adding 59 runs for the sixth wicket.

Mitchell made 55 off 104 balls while Santner scored 31 off 38. Mitchell was dropped by Gill during his innings but Axar eventually removed him with a mistimed shot. Santner tried to raise the score with some attacking strokes before Gurnoor had the last word, with Rahul completing the catch behind the stumps.

Axar also bowled Kyle Jamieson while Kamboj and Gurnoor helped clear the tail. New Zealand were 134 in 41 overs, leaving India with a target of 135.

HOW A routine chase turned into nervousness

Gill’s golden duck and Kohli’s dismissal for seven put India under pressure early. Falling first ball in the opening ODI, Rohit showed some intent with two sixes but only managed 17.

The pitch offered assistance to the bowlers, with the ball stopping at times and also bouncing, making it difficult to play across the line. New Zealand’s fast bowlers took advantage of these short-ball conditions, but India’s shot selection added to their woes. In a 135 speed chase, there was little reason to push the pace.

An example was the recall of Axar. Attempted a ramp, he picked out the fielder at third man for seven, leaving India at 40/4. Iyer and Rahul then added 46 for the fifth wicket to level the innings, taking India to 86/5. Iyer made 30 off 46 balls but failed to convert his start into a match-defining contribution.

Naman Dhir scored 12 before falling while Kamboj managed just one. Rahul was unbeaten on 23 when rain halted play at 113/7. With a par DLS score of 109, India did just enough to secure victory.

The result gives India a 2-0 lead, but the batting raises familiar questions. The first ODI revealed a limited contribution from the middle order. In Wellington the first order failed early on and the rest failed to show the composure needed to complete a modest chase.

India were never under the pressure of the required course but shot selection repeatedly put them in trouble.

Meanwhile, the bowling attack continues to impress. Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj built on their performances from the first ODI, Auqib Nabi opened his international wicket account and Arshdeep Singh produced economical magic despite losing a wicket.

But bowlers can’t keep bailing out a volatile batting line-up. A 2-0 lead is welcome, but Wellington exposed India’s struggles to handle the pressure with the bat. With the 2027 ODI World Cup in sight, the middle order needs better judgment and temperament to close out matches.

– The end