Kohli and Four Others Steer India to Narrow Win in First ODI Against New Zealand

India clinched a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI of the 2026 series at Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium, chasing a challenging target of 301 runs. At one stage, the match seemed to be slipping away from India, but a collective effort from key players helped the team recover and secure a crucial win, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Here’s a look at the five standout performers who turned the game in India’s favor.

Virat Kohli (93 Runs)
The match’s biggest hero, King Kohli, delivered a match-winning innings of 93 runs off 91 balls, including 8 fours and a six. Although he narrowly missed out on a century, Kohli crossed 28,000 international runs, becoming the fastest batsman to reach this milestone, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar. His brilliant knock earned him the Player of the Match award.

KL Rahul (29* Runs)
After Kohli and Shreyas Iyer were dismissed, the game seemed tense, but KL Rahul played the role of a calm finisher. He stayed unbeaten on 29 runs off 21 balls, keeping his composure under pressure. Rahul’s flurry of boundaries in the 49th over sealed the victory for India.

Harshit Rana (All-Round Performance)
Harshit Rana emerged as the match’s surprise package. He broke New Zealand’s strong start by taking two key wickets (Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls) and later contributed 29 runs off 23 balls, easing the pressure during India’s chase. His all-round display proved decisive.

Shubman Gill (56 Runs)
Making his mark as India’s ODI captain, Shubman Gill provided a solid start at the top of the order. His 56-run half-century, combined with a 118-run partnership with Kohli for the second wicket, laid the foundation for chasing a 300+ target successfully.

Shreyas Iyer (45 Runs and Brilliant Fielding)
Returning from injury, Shreyas Iyer delivered a crucial innings of 45 runs in the middle order. Beyond batting, his fielding proved vital—he executed a precise direct hit run-out to dismiss New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell, preventing the Kiwis from finishing their innings strongly.

Thanks to these individual performances and their collective resilience, India managed to edge past New Zealand in a nail-biting finish, setting the tone for the rest of the series.