India defended a modest total of 209 to beat New Zealand by 22 runs in the fifth and final ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Sunday and clinch the five-match series 3-1.
It is India’s first ODI series win in New Zealand since 2019, and the lowest total they have successfully defended in a full ODI on New Zealand soil. The win also ended New Zealand’s run of 11 straight bilateral ODI series victories at home, a streak stretching back seven years.
Sent in to bat after New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss, India were bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs. Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan top-scored with 46 each, while captain Shreyas Iyer and Naman Dhir made 22 apiece. Rohit Sharma fell for 7 and Virat Kohli for 5, as India’s top order failed again.
Santner took 3 for 47 and Jacob Duffy 3 for 60, while Matthew Fisher picked up two wickets. A late 28-run stand for the last wicket between Mohammed Siraj, unbeaten on 14, and Arshdeep Singh, who made 14 off four balls, proved decisive in the end.
New Zealand’s chase never quite got going. Their top four — Will Young, Tim Seifert, Nick Kelly and Dean Foxcroft — all made starts but none turned one into a match-winning innings. India’s stand-in captain Iyer stuck with his fast bowlers under lights, and the first over of spin did not come until the 36th over, through Axar Patel.
The move paid off. Axar had Jacob Duffy caught by Kohli at long-on for 9, and then ended the match in the 49th over, stumping Blair Tickner for 14. New Zealand were bowled out for 187 in 48.1 overs, with debutant Yash Thakur taking 1 for 38.
The win is head coach Gautam Gambhir’s first ODI series victory away from home. India had won the first two matches of the series, the third was washed out, and New Zealand had hit back in the fourth ODI on Friday, bowling India out for 89 to win by 244 runs at the same ground.
The two teams now move on to a two-match Test series. The first Test starts on November 19 in Wellington, followed by the second Test from November 27 in Christchurch.
