Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan took to X to celebrate the Men in Blue's series triumph at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on November 15, 2026.
Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui hosted the decisive moment of India's tour of New Zealand 2026-27 on November 15, 2026. Stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer guided the side to a 22-run victory in the fifth and final ODI, clinching the five-match series 3-1 against the Kiwis.
New Zealand had kept the contest alive by winning the fourth ODI on November 13, but India held firm when it mattered most.
"What a great series win by team India vs New Zealand. Tough series but boys bowled so well under pressure thru out the series. Saturday & Sunday dono Bharat ke Naam," Reacting to the result on X, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan wrote.
Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan anchor India's total
After the Kiwis won the toss and opted to field, India posted 209 runs before being bowled out in 42.1 overs. Two batters stood out in that total: Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan each contributed 46 runs, providing the bulk of India's competitive score on a surface that offered the bowlers assistance throughout the day.
Series result and head-to-head record
Chasing 210, New Zealand were bowled out for 187 in 48.1 overs, falling 22 runs short of their target. The Kiwis never quite found the momentum required to overhaul the total, and India's bowlers maintained pressure across the innings. One tactical decision that shaped the chase was Iyer's choice to delay Axar Patel's bowling spell until the 36th over, a call made because conditions at Bay Oval suited the pace attack in the earlier stages of the reply.
The 3-1 result adds another chapter to a long bilateral rivalry. Across 127 ODIs between the two nations, India have now won 66 matches to New Zealand's 53, with eight no results and one tie. The two sides first met in ODI cricket on June 14, 1975, a match New Zealand won. India, two-time ODI World Cup champions, have steadily built their advantage in this format over the decades, and this series result on New Zealand soil reinforces that record.