Virat Kohli reigned supreme once again with a 91-ball 93 and skipper Shubman Gill hit 56 but India huffed and puffed before completing a nervy four-wicket win against New Zealand in the opening ODI of the three-match series here on Sunday.
In pursuit of 301, India were in complete control when Kohli departed in the 40th over but a flurry of wickets saw the home side going over the line with 306 for six in 49 overs.
Kohli fell a few runs short of what could have been his 54th ODI century when India needed 67 from 66 balls with seven wickets in hand. Ravindra Jadeja (4) and Shreyas Iyer (49) followed him soon in the dressing room, giving New Zealand a real chance to clinch the game. However, KL Rahul (29 not out) put on 37 runs with Harshit Rana (29), and the remaining runs came in company of an injury-hit Washington Sundar (7 not out), aided by a few uncharacteristic dropped catches by the Kiwis towards the end. It was Kyle Jamieson (4/41) who dragged New Zealand back in the game when all seemed lost, getting Kohli caught at mid-on to deny the India batting stalwart a deserving ton. He also cleaned up Iyer with an off-cutter and got rid of Jadeja. Even as he fell a few runs short of a century, Kohli became the quickest to reach 28,000 runs in international cricket and now only the second behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, going past Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara.
New Zealand had posed an at-par 300/8 but with Kohli in such imperious form, it never was enough especially with a depleted bowling attack.
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell stood tall with a stroke-filled half-century to help New Zealand post 300 for eight.
Mitchell, ranked world No. 3 behind India superstars Kohli and Rohit, lived up to expectations with a gritty knock which gave New Zealand a much-needed impetus amid middle order collapse. Mitchell clobbered five fours and three sixes to make 84 off 71 balls after New Zealand middle order failed to build on an ideal start given by Devon Conway (56 off 67 balls; 6 fours, 1 six) and Henry Nicholls (62 off 69 balls; 8 fours). Openers Conway and Nicholls had put on 117 runs to defy India for the first 21 overs, but Harshit Rana’s (2/65) second spell of 2-0-13-2 turned the tables and the home side chipped away with regular strikes.
New Zealand skidded from 117 for no loss in the 22nd over to 198 for five in the 38th. But Mitchell forged vital stands to come to their rescue, while debutant Kristian Clarke struck three late fours to make 17-ball 24 not out.
BRIEF SCORES: New Zealand 300/8 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 84, Henry Nicholls 62; Mohammed Siraj 2-40, Harshit Rana 2-65) lost to India (Virat Kohli 93, Shubman Gill 56; Kyle Jamieson 4-41, Kristian Clarke 1-73) by four wickets.
Virat Kohli becomes second-highest run-scorer of all time
India stalwart Virat Kohli surpassed Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-getter of all time in international cricket, only behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who continues to reign at the top of the list.
Kohli crossed the milestone of 28,016 runs during India’s first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA International Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, on Sunday.
Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in international cricket, having scored 34,357 runs in 664 matches and 782 innings, with an average of 48.25, along with 100 centuries and 164 fifties.
Meanwhile, by scoring his 42nd run in the fifth delivery of the 20th over, Kohli surpassed Sangakkara to rise to second in the list of all-time highest run-scorers in cricket.
Sangakkara finished his international career with 28,016 runs across 594 matches and 666 innings, with an average of 46.77, including 63 centuries and 153 half-centuries.
Earlier in his knock, Kohli completed 28000 international runs, becoming the fastest cricketer to reach the milestone in just 624 innings, taking 20 fewer innings than the previous world record holder, Tendulkar, who needed 644 innings to reach the milestone.
Before the ODI series opener, Kohli was only 25 runs short of reaching 28,000 international runs. The right-handed batter had scored 27,975 runs across 556 matches and 623 innings, maintaining a remarkable average of 52.58, with 84 centuries and 145 half-centuries.
Making his 309th ODI appearance for India, Kohli smashed New Zealand’s Adithya Ashok for a boundary off the fifth delivery of the 13th over, and with that, went past the 28000-run mark in international cricket.
Kohli walked out to bat at No. 3 after Rohit Sharma was dismissed in the ninth over off Kyle Jamieson. The two senior cricketer have been in top form in the 50-over format across international and domestic arenas, and continued to showcase their top form as they faced the BlackCaps in the first ODI.