India bowled New Zealand out for 187 in 48.1 overs to defend a total of 209 and win the fifth and final One Day International by 22 runs at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, clinching the five-match India vs New Zealand series 3-1. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh took 3 for 30 across 10 overs and ODI debutant Yash Thakur claimed his maiden international wicket as all six Indian bowlers struck at least once.
The result gives India their first ODI series victory in New Zealand since 2019 and their third overall in the country. According to The Times of India, the defeat also ended New Zealand’s streak of 11 consecutive home ODI series wins, which started after India’s previous series triumph there seven years ago.
Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan Rebuild Before Late Stand
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to field first against an Indian lineup led by stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer. Both sides adjusted their pace attacks ahead of the upcoming Test series: New Zealand released fast bowler Matt Henry from the ODI squad to prepare for red-ball duty, while India moved Gurnoor Brar to the Test group and brought in Mohammed Siraj alongside Yash Thakur.
India slumped to 34 for 3 inside the first powerplay as Matthew Fisher dismissed Rohit Sharma for 7 off 13 balls and Virat Kohli for 5 off 7 balls, before Jacob Duffy removed Ruturaj Gaikwad for 18 off 27. Iyer added 22 off 26 balls before falling to Blair Tickner, leaving the repair work to Axar Patel and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan.
Patel scored 46 off 55 balls with five fours and a six, while Kishan matched him with 46 off 58 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes. Naman Dhir chipped in with 22 off 31 balls, but Santner stalled the lower order by bowling a double-wicket maiden in the 36th over, removing Auqib Nabi for 5 and Thakur for a four-ball duck to leave India at 166 for 8.
When the ninth wicket fell at 183, No. 10 Siraj and No. 11 Arshdeep added 26 runs across the final two overs to push India past 200. Siraj finished unbeaten on 14 off 20 balls with a four and a six, and Arshdeep hit two sixes in his four-ball 14 before India were bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs. Santner finished with 3 for 47 in 10 overs, Duffy took 3 for 60 in 8.1 overs, Fisher claimed 2 for 28 in 7 overs, and Tickner (1 for 24) and Michael Bracewell (1 for 35) took one wicket apiece.
Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur Strike in the Chase
Chasing 210, New Zealand lost openers Finn Allen (1 off 5 balls) and Tim Seifert (14 off 21) early as Arshdeep and Siraj shared the new ball. Will Young (22 off 42), Nick Kelly (24 off 45), Dean Foxcroft (31 off 42, five fours) and Bracewell (19 off 33) all reached double figures without converting their starts, with Thakur bowling Foxcroft to record figures of 1 for 38 in 10 overs on his ODI debut.
Santner kept the hosts in contention with 24 off 31 balls until part-time off-spinner Dhir dismissed him in the 41st over at 158 for 7, finishing a two-over spell with 1 for 4. Two overs later, Arshdeep bowled his second maiden of the innings and had Kristian Clarke (16 off 35) caught behind by Kishan to leave New Zealand at 161 for 8.
India had to defend the final overs with an extra fielder inside the 30-yard circle after falling 26 minutes behind the required over rate, NDTV Sports reported. Patel closed out the match anyway, getting Duffy caught by Kohli at long-on for 9 in the 47th over at 181 for 9 before Kishan stumped Tickner for 14 on the first ball of the 49th over. Patel ended with 2 for 28 in 6.1 overs, Siraj took 2 for 50 in 10 overs, and Nabi returned 1 for 37 in 10 overs as Fisher was left unbeaten on 3.
What the 3-1 Result Means Before the Test Series
Arshdeep was named Player of the Match for his three wickets and late cameo with the bat. Speaking at the post-match presentation, he told ANI that he enjoys batting at No. 11 despite teammates joking that he is afraid of the ball, adding that he and Siraj aimed to score quick runs to take the total past 200 so the bowlers had a defendable target.
Santner said at the presentation that his hand was holding up fine and would be assessed again on Monday. He noted that the 3-1 series margin did not reflect how close the matches were given the lost tosses and rain disruptions, while crediting different New Zealand players for stepping up across the series.
India won the opening two ODIs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method—by five wickets in Auckland on November 4 and by four runs in Wellington on November 7—before rain washed out the third match in Hamilton on November 10. New Zealand forced a series decider in Tauranga with a 244-run fourth ODI win at Bay Oval on November 13, when Henry’s 6 for 27 bowled India out for 89. Brar won Player of the Series after taking nine wickets across three innings in the first, second and fourth matches.
Having also won the preceding five-match T20I series 3-2 between October 22 and November 1, India now travel to Wellington for a two-match Test series against New Zealand starting November 19 at the Basin Reserve, followed by the second Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch beginning November 27.