Team India broke New Zealand's invincible fort in Auckland, Kiwi team had to see this day after 12 series

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IND vs NZ: New Zealand has faced defeat in the first ODI match played against India at Eden Park in Auckland. With this defeat, a wonderful and unbreakable record of the Kiwi team at home has also been broken. This is the first time after 12 consecutive bilateral home ODI series, that New Zealand has lost the first match of a series at home. Before this, the last time the Kiwi team had to face defeat in the first match of an ODI series on its soil was against India in January 2019. Interestingly, the same 2019 series was also New Zealand's last series defeat at home. India has taken a 1-0 lead in this five-match series by defeating the host team by 5 wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) rule in this match.

New Zealand's home fort broken

Defeating the New Zealand cricket team in ODI cricket on its own soil has always been considered one of the toughest challenges in the world. For the last several years, the Kiwi team had maintained its dominance by winning the first match of every ODI series played at home. But in this match played in Auckland, this victory chariot of the Kiwi team came to a halt in front of the deadly performance of the Indian bowlers. For the first time since 2019, New Zealand has had to face defeat in the opening match of an ODI series at home.

India's historic victory under the shadow of rain

The Indian team, which came out to chase the small target of 186 runs, did not have a good start. Rohit Sharma returned to the pavilion without opening the account. However, after this captain Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli took over the innings. When India's score was 54 runs for 1 wicket in 10.5 overs, the game had to be stopped due to heavy rain.

After this, the overs of the match were reduced and India got the target of 143 runs in 32 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) rule. On the basis of Virat Kohli's brilliant half-century innings, India easily achieved this target by losing 5 wickets and registered a historic victory, ending the years-long drought at the Eden Park ground. Kohli played a brilliant inning of 74 runs in 51 balls, which included 13 fours and 1 six. Shubman Gill scored 37 runs, while Shreyas Iyer contributed 15 runs.

Will history repeat itself?

The last time India defeated New Zealand in the first match of the ODI series at home in January 2019, Team India won that series 4-1. Since that time, New Zealand had not lost any ODI series at home. Now in 2026, once again India has stopped New Zealand's winning start. In such a situation, it will be very interesting to see whether this young Indian team under the captaincy of Shubman Gill is able to repeat the history of 2019 and defeat New Zealand at home or the Kiwi team will make a strong comeback in the next matches.

Also read: Virat Kohli made the biggest record in ODI history, became the only batsman in the world to do so in SENA countries.

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