In a classic encounter at the newly inaugurated Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, India pulled off a thrilling 4-wicket victory against New Zealand in the first ODI of the 2026 series.

Chasing a formidable target of 301, the "Men in Blue" overcame a mid-innings wobble to secure a win with just 6 balls to spare, delighting the capacity crowd.

When Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer were at the crease, it looked like India would sail to victory with overs to spare. Yet even without some of their key players, the Kiwi side refused to give in. They battled hard, making India work every step of the way for the win.

Kohli Masterclass and Milestone

The chase was headlined by Virat Kohli, who played a quintessential anchor-and-aggression knock. While the stadium was buzzing with the news of him surpassing Sourav Ganguly in ODI appearances (309), Kohli focused on the task at hand.

He reached a magnificent 93 off 91 balls, missing out on his 54th ODI ton but achieving something even greater. During this innings, Kohli became the fastest player in history to reach 28,000 international runs, beating Sachin Tendulkar's record by 20 innings.

The Collapse and Recovery

India seemed in complete control at 234/2, but the dismissal of Kohli sparked a sudden collapse. Kyle Jamieson (4/41) wreaked havoc, removing Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer (49) in quick succession. From a comfortable position, India slipped to 242/5, turning the match into a tactical battle.

The rescue act came from the experienced KL Rahul and young debutant Harshit Rana.

Rana, who had earlier taken two wickets, displayed ice-cold nerves by smashing a crucial six in the 45th over to bring the required rate down. Rahul’s calm presence at the other end ensured that India crossed the finish line in the final over of the day.