Kohli’s 74 Powers India to Five-Wicket DLS Win Over New Zealand in Rain-Hit Auckland Opener

Auckland: India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series after beating New Zealand by five wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in a rain-hit opener at Eden Park on Wednesday. Chasing a revised target of 143 from 32 overs, India reached 143 for 5 in 22.4 overs, with 56 balls to spare. The result completed the match funnel that began with Gill’s top-four preview — and it was the captain and his senior partner who did most of the work in the chase. Gill won a rain-delayed toss and chose to bowl, and his seamers made the call pay. New Zealand, already without Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman and Devon Conway, were bowled out for 185 in 40.2 overs. Tim Seifert, opening in Conway’s place, top-scored with 38, but no other home batter built a lasting innings. Arshdeep Singh led the bowling with 4 for 70 from his ten overs, while Gurnoor Brar took 3 for 44. The pick of the bowlers, though, was Anshul Kamboj, picked ahead of Mohammed Siraj. Kamboj took 2 for 22 from ten overs of disciplined seam bowling across two spells, and was named Player of the Match. Gurnoor ended a 39-run last-wicket stand between Jacob Duffy and Blair Tickner. India’s chase began badly, with Rohit Sharma falling for a duck on his return to the ODI side. That brought Kohli together with Gill, and the pair steadied the innings and then took control. Kohli was at his fluent best, striking 13 fours and a six in a 74 off 51 balls, while Gill made a measured 37 off 56 balls. Rain kept interrupting the chase and forced the revised target, but by then India were already well ahead of the asking rate. Jacob Duffy, with 3 for 49, gave New Zealand a late flicker of hope with three quick wickets, and India lost five wickets in all. But the target was never in serious danger once Kohli and Gill had put India in front, and the visitors closed out the win in the 23rd over of their shortened innings. The win followed India’s 3-2 T20I series win on the same tour. New Zealand will rue a batting display that never recovered from the early pressure, ending with more than nine overs of their innings unused. Both teams now head to Wellington for the second ODI on Saturday, with New Zealand needing a win to level the series and India looking to double their lead.