Virat Kohli’s spectacular 54th ODI century lit up Indore on Sunday, but his masterclass performance was not enough to prevent New Zealand from scripting history as they secured a 41-run victory in the third and final ODI to clinch their first-ever ODI series win on Indian soil. Despite being cornered in the latter stages of the game, New Zealand held their nerve at crucial moments to claim a superb win.
Asked to bat, New Zealand posted a massive total through a dominant display from their middle order. Daryl Mitchell continued his outstanding form, registering his second consecutive century of the series. His incredible 137 off 131 deliveries played a huge role. He found able support in Glenn Phillips, whose 106 off 88 balls provided a big boost. Together, they guided New Zealand to a total of 337/8 in 50 overs.
Meanwhile, chasing the target, India began on a shaky note as the top order crumbled early. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul all departed cheaply. Amid the chaos, Virat Kohli stood tall. He stitched a crucial 88-run partnership with Nitish Reddy, who played a wonderful knock of 53 to revive India’s hopes.
After Reddy’s dismissal, Kohli found an effective partner in Harshit Rana. The duo added a crucial 99 runs. Rana’s fearless 52 provided momentum to the chase. After Rana's wicket, Kohli scored a splendid 124 as he attempted to carry India over the line. However, once Kohli fell, India could not recover, being bowled out for 296 in 46 overs.