India vs New Zealand 2nd ODI: Kohli's Century Powers India to Series Win in Pune

Virat Kohli's majestic 113 leads India to a comprehensive 7-wicket victory, clinching the ODI series 2-0 with one match to go.

India sealed the ODI series against New Zealand with a clinical 7-wicket victory in the second ODI at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Tuesday, January 14, 2026. Virat Kohli rolled back the years with a magnificent century, his 81st in international cricket.

Match Summary

Winning the toss and electing to bat, New Zealand posted a competitive 287/8 in their 50 overs. In response, India chased down the target with 32 balls to spare, powered by Kohli's masterclass.

New Zealand Innings: 287/8 (50 overs)

Extras: 6 (lb 2, w 4)

Fall of Wickets: 1-42, 2-55, 3-178, 4-225, 5-255, 6-268, 7-279, 8-283

Bowling:

India Innings: 291/3 (44.4 overs)

Extras: 11 (lb 4, w 7)

Fall of Wickets: 1-95, 2-112, 3-175

Bowling:

Result: India won by 7 wickets (Series: India leads 2-0)

Player of the Match: Virat Kohli (113* off 98 balls)

Match Analysis

Williamson's Fighting Knock

Kane Williamson produced a captain's innings, scoring 95 off 108 balls. His partnership of 123 runs with Daryl Mitchell for the third wicket was the backbone of New Zealand's innings. Mitchell continued his good form with 67, but the lack of finishing kick cost the Kiwis at least 15-20 runs.

Kohli's Masterclass

Virat Kohli walked in at 95/1 after Gill's dismissal and took complete control of the chase. Key highlights of his innings:

• 50 off 52 balls: Anchored the chase patiently
• 100 off 91 balls: Accelerated beautifully in the death overs
• Partnership with Rohit: 95 runs in 82 balls set the platform
• Partnership with Rahul: Unbeaten 116 runs sealed the game

This was Kohli's 51st ODI century, extending his record. He is now just 2 centuries away from matching Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record of 49 ODI centuries (Note: Kohli's 51 includes centuries across all international formats).

Key Moments

1. 15th Over: Siraj's double-wicket maiden over jolted NZ at 55/2
2. 35th Over: Williamson's dismissal for 95 broke NZ's momentum
3. 22nd Over (Ind): Kohli-Rohit's aggressive running put pressure on fielders
4. 38th Over (Ind): Kohli's three consecutive boundaries off Santner sealed the deal

Player Ratings

India:

• Virat Kohli: 10/10 (Match-winning century)
• Rohit Sharma: 8/10 (Aggressive start)
• Mohammed Shami: 8/10 (Crucial early breakthroughs)
• KL Rahul: 7.5/10 (Composed finishing)

New Zealand:

• Kane Williamson: 9/10 (Lone warrior with the bat)
• Daryl Mitchell: 7.5/10 (Valuable contribution)
• Lockie Ferguson: 5/10 (Expensive spell)

Series Stats

What's Next

The third and final ODI will be played on January 17 at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. With the series already won, India might look to rotate the squad and give opportunities to fringe players.

Post-Match Quotes

Virat Kohli: "The Pune crowd is special. I love playing here. The pitch was good for batting, and once Rohit bhai got us off to a flyer, I just had to keep rotating strike and capitalize on loose balls."

Rohit Sharma: "Virat was brilliant today. The way he paced the chase was exceptional. We're happy to seal the series, but we want a clean sweep in Indore."

Tom Latham: "287 was a good total, but we couldn't create enough pressure in the chase. Kohli was outstanding, and we need to learn from these experiences."