article by Suvankar Roy
First-ever series win on Indian soil—Indore silenced
The evening in Indore gradually transformed into a high-stakes thriller. On one side was Virat Kohli’s indomitable spirit; on the other, New Zealand stood on the cusp of history. In the end, history prevailed—Kohli’s heroics were overshadowed by the Kiwis’ monumental series triumph.
India started like a whirlwind. New Zealand seemed on the verge of collapse after losing two wickets for just 5 runs within the first 7 balls. A poor decision from Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway’s golden duck sent the Indian fans into a frenzy of celebration.
But from the ruins emerged a story of a fierce counter-attack.
With a cool head and clinical timing, Daryl Mitchell slowly wrestled control of the match. He was joined by Glenn Phillips—initially quiet, but eventually lethal. Together, they dismantled the Indian bowling attack with such ease that it felt as if the Indore pitch had completely changed character.
- A 219-run partnership off 186 balls.
- A rain of boundaries and sixes.
- Silence in the stands.
With Mitchell’s 9th ODI century and a blistering ton from Phillips, New Zealand stood at the threshold of history.
When India began the chase, hope remained. However, the top order crumbled within the powerplay as Rohit, Gill, Shreyas, and Rahul all retreated to the pavilion one by one. The scoreboard painted a grim picture: 71/4.
That was when one man stood tall—Virat Kohli.
Fire in his eyes, grit in his blade.
Sixes off the pull shot, roars following the cover drives.
Holding one end steady, Kohli breathed life back into the match alongside Nitish Reddy. Reddy’s maiden ODI half-century gave the fans renewed hope, but the momentum shifted again as both he and Jadeja departed.
Still, Kohli refused to surrender.
The final act of the drama unfolded with Harshit Rana for company. Boundary after boundary. The crowd was in a fever pitch. The pressure on New Zealand was mounting.
And then, it happened—Virat Kohli reached his 54th ODI century.
With 108 runs needed off the final 10 overs, the task seemed daunting but not impossible. Indore began to believe.
But cricket can be a cruel game.
In the dying moments, the resilience of the Kiwi bowlers, one mistimed shot, and a missed opportunity combined to shatter India’s dreams. Kohli remained the “undefeated warrior,” but victory remained out of reach.
The Result-New Zealand won by 41 runs.
The History: New Zealand secures its first-ever bilateral ODI series victory on Indian soil.