India vs New Zealand Highlights, 2nd ODI: Daryl Mitchell, Will Young Shine As NZ Register Record Chase In India .In a high-octane encounter at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, New Zealand pulled off a stunning heist to level the three-match series 1-1. Chasing a formidable target of 285, the Blackcaps, powered by a masterful unbeaten 131 from Daryl Mitchell and a steady 87 from Will Young, reached the finish line with seven wickets and 15 balls to spare.
This victory marks New Zealand’s highest-ever successful ODI run chase against India on Indian soil, setting up a mouth-watering series decider in Indore. While KL Rahul played a lone warrior’s knock for India with a magnificent 112*, his efforts were ultimately overshadowed by Mitchell’s clinical precision under the light
Match Summary: A Tale of Two Centuries
| Feature | Details |
| Venue | Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot |
| Toss | New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl |
| India Score | 284/7 (50 Overs) |
| New Zealand Score | 286/3 (47.3 Overs) |
| Result | New Zealand won by 7 wickets |
| Player of the Match | Daryl Mitchell (131* off 117 balls) |
First Innings: KL Rahul’s Masterclass Rescues India
After being asked to bat first, India got off to a fluent start. Skipper Shubman Gill (56) and Rohit Sharma (24) shared a 70-run opening stand, looking comfortable against the new ball. However, the introduction of New Zealand’s spinners and the disciplined seam of Kristian Clarke (3/56) triggered a sudden collapse.
The Middle-Order Wobble
India slipped from a comfortable 99/1 to a precarious 118/4. Virat Kohli, who looked in sublime touch after surpassing a milestone previously held by Sachin Tendulkar, was cleaned up by Clarke for 23. Shreyas Iyer (8) followed suit quickly, leaving the middle order exposed.
The KL Rahul Show
Coming in at a time of crisis, KL Rahul anchored the innings with extreme maturity. He initially stabilized the ship with Ravindra Jadeja (27) in a 73-run partnership. Once settled, Rahul shifted gears effortlessly. He brought up his 8th ODI century in style, smashing 11 boundaries and a six in his 92-ball stay. His late acceleration, supported by a brief cameo from Nitish Kumar Reddy (20), propelled India to 284/7—a total that felt competitive on a slowing Rajkot surface
Second Innings: Mitchell and Young Silence the Rajkot Crowd
New Zealand’s chase began on a shaky note. India’s young pacer Harshit Rana produced a peach of a delivery to uproot Devon Conway’s off-stump for 16. Soon after, Prasidh Krishna removed Henry Nicholls (10), leaving the visitors reeling at 46/2.
The Record-Breaking Stand
What followed was a batting clinic by Daryl Mitchell and Will Young. The duo put together a massive 162-run partnership for the third wicket. While Young played the role of the accumulator, scoring 87 off 98 balls, Mitchell took the attack to the Indian spinners.
Mitchell was particularly harsh on Kuldeep Yadav, using his feet to loft the ball over the sightscreen and sweeping with clinical accuracy. Even after Young departed in the 38th over—caught by Nitish Reddy off Kuldeep—there was no respite for India
The Finishing Touch
Glenn Phillips joined Mitchell and played a brisk cameo of 32* off 25 balls. Mitchell reached his century off 96 balls and continued to pile on the misery. He finished the game in audacious fashion, playing a falling ramp shot off Harshit Rana that raced to the boundary. Mitchell remained unbeaten on 131, his highest score against India
Player Statistics: Batting & Bowling
Team India – Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Rohit Sharma | c Young b Clarke | 24 | 38 | 4 | 0 | 63.16 |
| Shubman Gill | c Mitchell b Jamieson | 56 | 53 | 9 | 1 | 105.66 |
| Virat Kohli | b Clarke | 23 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 79.31 |
| Shreyas Iyer | c Bracewell b Clarke | 8 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 47.06 |
| KL Rahul | Not Out | 112 | 92 | 11 | 1 | 121.74 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | c & b Bracewell | 27 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 61.36 |
| Nitish K. Reddy | c Phillips b Foulkes | 20 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 95.24 |
| Harshit Rana | c Bracewell b Lennox | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
New Zealand – Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Kyle Jamieson | 10 | 2 | 70 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Kristian Clarke | 8 | 0 | 56 | 3 | 7.00 |
| Michael Bracewell | 10 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 3.40 |
| Jayden Lennox | 10 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 4.20 |
New Zealand – Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Devon Conway | b Rana | 16 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 76.19 |
| Henry Nicholls | b Krishna | 10 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 41.67 |
| Will Young | c Reddy b Kuldeep | 87 | 98 | 7 | 0 | 88.78 |
| Daryl Mitchell | Not Out | 131 | 117 | 11 | 2 | 111.97 |
| Glenn Phillips | Not Out | 32 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 128.00 |
Team India – Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Mohammed Siraj | 9 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 4.56 |
| Harshit Rana | 9.3 | 1 | 52 | 1 | 5.47 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 9 | 0 | 49 | 1 | 5.44 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 10 | 0 | 82 | 1 | 8.20 |
Key Takeaways from the 2nd ODI
Daryl Mitchell’s Dominance: Mitchell has now scored three ODI centuries against India in India, proving to be a thorn in the side of the Men in Blue.
India’s Spinning Concerns: On a track where New Zealand’s spinners (Bracewell and Lennox) were economical, the Indian duo of Kuldeep and Jadeja struggled to contain runs, conceding over 120 runs between them.
KL Rahul’s Consistency: Rahul continues to be India’s best middle-order asset, showing the ability to build an innings and finish with a flourish.
Fielding Lapses: India’s fielding was sub-par, with Prasidh Krishna dropping a crucial catch of Daryl Mitchell when the match was still in the balance.
“It was a complete performance from us. Will Young and Daryl Mitchell were excellent with the bat, and our bowlers adapted to the conditions perfectly.” — Michael Bracewell, NZ Captain.
“We couldn’t pick up wickets in the middle overs. If you don’t do that, it becomes difficult to defend even a good total. We need to be braver in the next game.” — Shubman Gill, India Captain.
What’s Next?
With the series tied at 1-1, all eyes now move to Indore for the third and final ODI on Sunday. Can India bounce back to clinch the series, or will the Kiwis complete a historic comeback?