Virat Kohli’s 74 Powers India to DLS Win Over New Zealand in 1st ODI

India beat New Zealand by five wickets in the first ODI in Auckland on 4 November 2026, chasing a revised DLS target of 143. Virat Kohli’s 74 from 51 balls set the tempo after India’s bowlers had dismissed New Zealand for 185 at Eden Park. Rain shortened the chase, but India finished at 143 for five in 22.4 overs to take a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.

Kohli was the match’s defining presence with the bat, yet this was not a one-player result. India had to respond to a stop-start innings, an early wicket and a revised target that left little room for hesitation. The bowlers had already done the harder work of pulling New Zealand back from a threatening position, and Anshul Kamboj’s disciplined spell earned him the Player of the Match award.

How the first ODI unfolded

India won the toss and chose to field at Eden Park. New Zealand started with intent, but Arshdeep Singh struck early and kept finding ways to break partnerships. The hosts were bowled out for 185 in 40.2 overs, a total that looked competitive for a while because the innings had several useful contributions without a long, decisive stand.

Tim Seifert top-scored with 38 from 43 balls on his return to ODI cricket. Glenn Phillips made 30 and Daryl Mitchell added 28, while Blair Tickner gave the lower order a late burst with 34 from 23 balls. Those cameos kept New Zealand moving, but India’s bowlers prevented any of them from turning into a match-shaping innings.

Arshdeep finished with four wickets for 70 runs. Gurnoor Brar took three for 44, and Kamboj returned two for 22 from his full quota of ten overs. The figures tell two different stories: Arshdeep was the strike bowler, while Kamboj’s control made it difficult for New Zealand to build momentum. Axar Patel also kept the scoring quiet, conceding 12 from five overs.

Rain changed the chase, but not India’s intent

India’s innings was interrupted by rain and reduced to 32 overs, with the revised target set at 143 under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method. A shortened chase can make a modest target feel urgent. Teams have to recalculate the required pace, and an early collapse can quickly bring the asking rate back into the game.

India’s start was not ideal: Rohit Sharma fell for a duck in the first over. Shubman Gill then helped steady the innings, making 37 from 56 balls. His stand with Kohli took the chase away from the opening wobble and gave India a platform to accelerate. Gill’s innings was measured, but it mattered because it allowed Kohli to read the conditions and choose his moments.

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Kohli’s 74: fluent, controlled and decisive

Kohli made 74 from 51 deliveries, striking 13 fours and one six at a rate above 145. The innings was his 80th half-century in one-day internationals, according to Reuters. It was also a reminder of how he can shift gears without making the chase look frantic: he found the gaps early, punished loose balls and kept India ahead of the revised requirement.

The partnership with Gill was worth 113 runs for the second wicket and gave India breathing room. Kohli was dismissed at 124 for three, with only 19 runs left to get. Shreyas Iyer had already added a brisk 15 from 13 balls, and the middle order needed only to avoid a late stumble. There was a small wobble when Axar Patel fell without scoring, but KL Rahul and Naman Dhir saw the chase through.

The timing of Kohli’s dismissal is worth remembering. His innings did not finish the match by itself, and it did not need to. He left India close enough that the remaining batters could manage the last phase calmly. That is often the most useful kind of chase innings: it creates control before the target is reached, rather than waiting until the final overs to demand a rescue.

India’s bowlers laid the foundation

New Zealand’s 185 all out was built from several starts rather than one large score. That is where India’s attack kept the advantage. Arshdeep removed key batters, Brar took three wickets including Seifert and captain Tom Latham, and Kamboj broke through the lower middle order while barely giving away a boundary. Kamboj’s economy rate of 2.20 in a shortened, high-pressure ODI stood out.

The Player of the Match award going to Kamboj underlined that a scorecard can reward more than the biggest individual number. Kohli’s 74 was the chase’s headline, but India’s bowling had created the terms of the chase. The first innings was not a perfect display—Arshdeep was expensive despite his wickets—but the attack shared the work and kept the total within reach after the rain adjustment.

What this result means for the series

The win gives India a 1–0 lead in a five-match ODI series and a useful start away from home. It also gives the team a few different positives to carry forward: a top-order partnership under a changed target, a fast-scoring innings from Kohli, and a strong performance from the supporting bowlers. One match cannot answer every question about the series, but it can give the next game a clear narrative.

For New Zealand, the immediate task is to turn starts into a longer partnership and make India’s bowlers defend a bigger total. Seifert and Phillips showed that the innings had players capable of scoring, while Tickner’s late hitting added some urgency. The challenge is to build a platform before the lower order is asked to lift the score. In a rain-affected match, even a modest extra 20 or 30 runs can change the target and the pressure.

The next ODI is scheduled for Wellington on Saturday, 7 November. New Zealand will want a stronger first-innings total; India will aim to keep the series momentum while avoiding any assumption that the same chase pattern will work again. Conditions, team selection and the weather can all alter the balance.

Virat Kohli’s role in the wider picture

Whenever Kohli scores heavily, the conversation quickly moves to records and what the innings says about his form. There is a real achievement here—another half-century, and his 80th in ODIs—but the most revealing detail is how he shaped the chase after an early wicket and a rain break. He did not simply hit boundaries; he paced the innings around Gill’s steady support and kept the target from becoming a late-overs scramble.

That balance is valuable in a side with several aggressive options. A partner can attack when the bowlers miss their length, while Kohli’s placement and running keep the scoreboard moving between boundaries. On this occasion, the second-wicket stand let India respond to the revised target with composure. The innings was fluent, but the broader lesson was about partnership and game awareness rather than one player carrying the entire side.

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H View take: a team win with a headline innings

This was a convincing opening result, though the five-wicket margin should not hide the different phases of the game. India’s bowlers made 185 feel chaseable, rain reshaped the equation, and Kohli’s innings turned the revised target into a controlled pursuit. Kamboj’s economical spell and Brar’s three wickets deserve space beside the star batter’s score.

For readers looking for one takeaway, Kohli’s 74 was the match’s most memorable batting performance, but the win was built in both innings. India’s next test is to repeat the discipline with the ball and adapt if New Zealand posts a more demanding total. The series is only one match old; the first result has set up the contest, not settled it.

India vs New Zealand 1st ODI: scorecard at a glance

Frequently asked questions

Who won the first India vs New Zealand ODI in 2026?

India won by five wickets under the DLS method at Eden Park in Auckland on 4 November 2026.

How many runs did Virat Kohli score?

Kohli scored 74 from 51 balls, including 13 fours and one six.

What was the revised target?

After rain shortened India’s innings to 32 overs, the revised DLS target was 143. India reached 143 for five in 22.4 overs.

Who was Player of the Match?

Anshul Kamboj was named Player of the Match after taking two wickets for 22 runs in ten overs.

When is the next ODI?

The second ODI is scheduled for Wellington on 7 November 2026.

Sources: Reuters match report; New Zealand Cricket official scorecard archive.