India have a 2-0 lead in their five-match ODI series in New Zealand. On Saturday, 7 November, the second ODI in Wellington ended early because of rain. India were four runs ahead of the DLS par score at that point, so they won by 4 runs. Young seamer Gurnoor Brar was the main reason for the win. His 4 for 30 helped bowl New Zealand out for just 134 on a damp, slow surface.
A rain-hit day in Wellington
Rain shaped the day from the start. The toss was delayed several times on Saturday morning (Indian time), and the match was cut to 47 overs a side. Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl, expecting the overhead conditions to help his seamers. It worked.
Arshdeep Singh gave India a tight start. He bowled four overs for just four runs in his opening spell and kept the openers quiet. After that, the rest of the attack took wickets regularly. Auqib Nabi removed Tim Seifert and Will Young early. Anshul Kamboj bowled Henry Nicholls and finished with two wickets.
Brar breaks the middle order
Daryl Mitchell held New Zealand's innings together. He made 55 off 104 balls before Axar Patel got him out. Captain Mitchell Santner added a useful 31 off 38. But Brar kept taking wickets at the other end. He removed Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips (out for a duck), Santner and Nathan Smith, and finished with figures of 10-2-30-4. New Zealand were all out for 134.
The hosts also had an injury problem. Blair Tickner was replaced by Matt Fisher as a concussion substitute. Devon Conway had already been ruled out of the series with a concussion.
India's chase and the DLS finish
India's chase was nervy. Shubman Gill fell for a golden duck, and Virat Kohli, who made 74 in the series opener, got out for 7. Rohit Sharma hit two sixes in a brisk 23 off 28. Shreyas Iyer then steadied the innings with 30 off 46 balls.
Wickets kept falling on a pitch that was hard to bat on, and the game was finely balanced. When the rain returned and play could not resume, KL Rahul was unbeaten on 14. India were just ahead of the DLS par score of 109, so the umpires gave them a 4-run win. Brar was named Player of the Match.
Key facts: 2nd ODI at a glance
| Match | New Zealand vs India, 2nd ODI |
| Date | Saturday, 7 November 2026 |
| Venue | Wellington |
| Toss | India won, chose to bowl |
| Overs | 47 per side (rain-reduced) |
| New Zealand | 134 all out (Daryl Mitchell 55, Mitchell Santner 31) |
| Best bowling | Gurnoor Brar 10-2-30-4 |
| India top scorers | Shreyas Iyer 30, Rohit Sharma 23, KL Rahul 14* |
| Result | India won by 4 runs (DLS method) |
| Player of the Match | Gurnoor Brar |
| Series | India lead 2-0 (five-match series) |
It was the kind of low-scoring game that the DLS method often decides by a few runs. Neither side ever looked fully in control, and every wicket in the final overs before the rain changed the equation. India's bowlers had already done most of the work by restricting New Zealand to a total well below par for an ODI.
What it means for Team India
The biggest positive from this series so far is how deep India's young pace attack looks. Arshdeep, Kamboj and Brar have won India both games, which matters for a team planning ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. For Brar in particular, a four-wicket haul and the Player of the Match award in New Zealand will strengthen his case for a regular spot.
The worry is the top order. Gill's golden duck and Kohli's early exit left the middle order with a lot to do in a small chase. On seaming pitches like this, a total of 135 can feel much bigger. The batters will want to fix that before the series moves on.
What happens next
The third ODI is scheduled for Tuesday, 10 November, at Seddon Park in Hamilton. It starts at 7:30 am IST. The final two matches will be played at Bay Oval in Tauranga on 13 and 15 November. One more win in Hamilton would give India the series with two games to spare. New Zealand need a win to keep the series alive.
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