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India secured a five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the opening match of their five-match ODI series at Eden Park in Auckland.
India won the first of five one-day cricket internationals against New Zealand by five wickets on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Eden Park in Auckland. After winning a delayed toss, India captain Shubman Gill opted to field first.
New Zealand was bowled out for 185 in 40.2 overs. Arshdeep Singh provided an early breakthrough, removing Will Young (9) and Henry Nicholls (9) during the opening Powerplay. Gurnoor Brar also contributed to the bowling effort, taking 3-44, including a return catch to dismiss Tom Latham for 3.
Tim Seifert scored 38 before being dismissed in the 15th over. Daryl Mitchell, who had reached 28, was run out after a ball from Glenn Phillips was turned to the leg side, with Rohit Sharma's throw beating Mitchell to the striker's end.
Anshul Kamboj finished with figures of 2-22 in 10 overs, including the dismissal of captain Mitchell Santner, who was bowled by a ball that spun back from his defensive shot. Arshdeep Singh finished with figures of 4-70, including the dismissal of Glenn Phillips (30). Despite the bowling performance, New Zealand's 10th wicket, Blair Tickner, provided a 39-run resistance, scoring 34 off 22 balls.
India's chase was impacted by a revised DLS target of 143 in 32 overs. Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a 6-ball duck in the first over by Kyle Jamieson. However, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli established a 113-run second-wicket stand, with Gill adding 37 off 56 balls. Kohli scored 74 off 51 deliveries, including 13 boundaries and a six.
Jacob Duffy triggered a mini-collapse by removing Kohli and Axar Patel in quick succession. Despite this, India reached the target in 22.4 overs with five wickets in hand. Anshul Kamboj was named Player of the Match for his figures of 2/22 in 10 overs.
This match marks a shift to the 50-over format following a T20I series that India won 3-2. The five-match ODI series serves as a preparation period for both teams ahead of future assignments, including the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
New Zealand entered the match without Devon Conway, who is absent following a concussion, as well as Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra. India's lineup featured the return of senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and K.L. Rahul. Shubman Gill is expected to lead for the first three ODIs before Shreyas Iyer takes over the captaincy for the final two matches to allow Gill to prepare for upcoming World Test Championship assignments.
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This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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