Despite Virat Kohli’s 124 runs off 107 balls, New Zealand defeated host India in the third One Day International to clinch their first-ever ODI series on the Indian soil. Kohli got to his ton in 91 deliveries in an innings studded with 8 fours and 2 sixes. The Kiwis lost the first ODI by four wickets as India chased down the target of 301 but they came back strongly to win the second ODI by seven wickets. In the decider, Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106) scored centuries and stitched together a 219-run partnership for the fourth wicket that turned the innings on its head as they set a mammoth target of 338 for India. The top order failed massively for India and Kohli found support in the lower order with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana scoring their 50s but it was not enough. Zak Foulkes (3/77) and Kristian Clarke (3/54) took six wickets between them while rookie spinner Jayden Lennox returned 2/42 from his 10 overs. Also Read | IND vs NZ: Now it is about India pleading Virat Kohli to stay on for 2027 World Cup Here are some stats from the series: 38: New Zealand won their first ODI series in eight attempts since 1988 making it a historic milestone for the visitors. 10: Virat Kohli became the first batter to score ten centuries against the Kiwis, also making him the batter with the highest number of centuries against them across formats. 59: This was the 59th List-A hundred for Virat Kohli in 334 innings and he is now just one behind Sachin Tendulkar who scored 60 List-A hundreds in a total of 538 innings. 74.1: Player of the match Daryl Mitchell averages 74.1 against India and it is highest for the batters who have scored 500 runs minimum against India. He had a phenomenal series scoring 352 runs with two centuries in winning cause and one eighty plus score in the first match. Story continues below this ad 1st: This is the first instance of two New Zealand batters scoring hundreds against India in the same ODI innings.
A series win after 38 years, 59 List-A hundreds for Virat Kohli: Stats from India v NZ 3rd ODI
