India beat New Zealand by 22 runs in the fifth and final ODI on November 15 to seal the series 3-1. A modest 209 all out proved enough as the hosts were bowled out for 187. The result also ended New Zealand's run of 11 consecutive bilateral ODI series wins at home.
Match Result and Scorecard Snapshot
Mitchell Santner finally won a toss and chose to field first. India were bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs, and New Zealand finished on 187 in 48.1 overs.
| Team | Score | Overs | Run Rate |
|---|
| India | 209 all out | 42.1 | 4.96 |
| New Zealand | 187 all out | 48.1 | 3.88 |
India scored 1.08 runs per over faster than New Zealand. The hosts batted longer but could not match the pace needed to chase 210.
India's Innings: Building 209 in Testing Conditions
India struggled for fluency, but contributions down the order lifted them past 200. Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan scored 46 runs each.
Axar Patel's Promotion to No. 5
Axar was promoted ahead of Ishan Kishan and scored 46 off 55 balls. He hit five fours and one six, so 26 of his 46 runs (56.5%) came in boundaries.
The Last-Wicket Stand
Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh added 26 off 10 balls for the final wicket. That is a scoring rate of 15.6 runs per over, and it made up 12.4% of India's total.
| Batting Segment | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate | Notes |
|---|
| Axar Patel | 46 | 55 | 83.64 | 5 fours, 1 six |
| Arshdeep Singh | 14 | 4 | 350.00 | 2 sixes |
| Last-wicket stand | 26 | 10 | 260.00 | Siraj and Arshdeep |
New Zealand's Chase: A Steady Start Followed by a Collapse
New Zealand reached 64/1 in the 17th over, but lost five wickets for 55 runs to slip to 119/6. Santner battled hard, with Kristian Clarke and Blair Tickner also chipping in.
The last four wickets added 68 runs, yet the gap proved too large. Axar Patel took two wickets to end the innings at 187.
| Stage | Score | Runs Added | Wickets Lost |
|---|
| 17th over | 64/1 | 64 | 1 |
| Middle-order slump | 119/6 | 55 | 5 |
| Innings end (48.1 overs) | 187 all out | 68 | 4 |
Shreyas Iyer's Bowling Management
Shreyas Iyer scored 22 with the bat and drew credit for how he used his bowlers. He went with an all-pace attack for the first 35 overs and introduced Axar only in the 36th over.
Top Performers of the Match
Arshdeep Singh: Player of the Match
Arshdeep took three wickets in 10 overs, including two maidens. Two of his three wickets were top-order batters. He also scored 14 off four balls, a strike rate of 350.00.
| Player | Batting | Bowling |
|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | 14 (4) | 3 wickets, 10 overs, 2 maidens |
| Axar Patel | 46 (55) | 2 wickets |
| Shreyas Iyer | 22 | Captaincy: pace-only for 35 overs |
Fielding Impact
Ruturaj Gaikwad took a stunning catch in the deep to end a partnership. It was a key moment in New Zealand's middle-order slide.
Records and Milestones
The win carried historical weight as well as a series result. Arshdeep's cameo also added to Indian No. 11 batting records.
| Record | Detail |
|---|
| New Zealand home streak ended | Seven years and 11 consecutive bilateral ODI series wins |
| Sixes by an Indian No. 11 in an ODI | Arshdeep equalled the record with 2 |
| First-ball six by an Indian No. 11 | Arshdeep is the third Indian to do so |
Crossing 200 gave India a psychological edge. New Zealand had not lost a bilateral home ODI series in seven years.
Player of the Series: Gurnoor Brar
Gurnoor Brar, 26, won the Player of the Series award as the joint-highest wicket-taker. He picked up nine wickets in three games at an economy rate of 4.88.
| Player | Matches | Wickets | Wickets per Match | Economy |
|---|
| Gurnoor Brar | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 4.88 |
An economy rate below five alongside a strike of three wickets per game is a strong return. It should build his confidence going forward.
What Comes Next
This was the last game of the ODI series. The Test series gets underway on November 19.