Indore, Jan 18 (NationPress) - Despite a commendable effort of 124 runs off 108 balls from the legendary Virat Kohli, New Zealand emerged victorious by 41 runs to clinch a significant 2-1 series win in the ODI series decider held at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday.

New Zealand's innings was bolstered by remarkable performances from Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips, who scored 137 and 106 runs respectively, propelling the team to a formidable total of 337/8 on a challenging two-paced pitch. Despite Kohli's stellar 54th ODI century, India was bowled out for 296 in 46 overs. Kyle Jamieson and Zakary Foulkes each took three wickets, marking New Zealand's first-ever ODI series win on Indian soil after trailing 1-0 last week.

India's chase stumbled early with the dismissals of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, leaving the team struggling at 71/4. Kohli and Nitish Kumar Reddy attempted a comeback with a resilient 88-run partnership, while Harshit Rana added a swift 52 runs from 43 balls. Ultimately, the target proved too steep, leading to India's fifth home ODI series loss since 2010.

The match started positively for India, racing to 28 runs in the first three overs. However, Rohit's dismissal in the fourth over from a catch to mid-on off Foulkes set a negative tone. Jamieson quickly capitalized, dismissing Gill with a well-placed delivery that crashed into the stumps.

Despite initial challenges from Jamieson, Kohli showcased his prowess, hitting four quick boundaries off Foulkes, Jamieson, and Kristian Clarke. Wickets fell around him as Iyer misplayed a short ball, and Rahul was caught off a delivery by Jayden Lennox.

Leading the chase, Kohli reached his fifty in just 51 balls, displaying his hallmark timing with a flick that sped past deep square leg. Reddy supported him well, scoring four boundaries and earning his maiden ODI fifty with a remarkable pull and a slog-sweep off Phillips.

However, their partnership ended when Reddy fell to Clarke’s short ball, leading to further dismissals of Jadeja and others. Kohli's late surge included three boundaries and a six, allowing him to reach a century in 91 deliveries. But when he miscued a lofted shot for 124, it marked the end of India’s resistance.

New Zealand, batting first, had a shaky start at 58/3 before Mitchell and Phillips combined for a commanding 219-run partnership off 186 balls. Mitchell, now holding the record for the most runs in a three-game ODI series against India, scored his fourth ODI hundred. Phillips, after a slow start, accelerated to a fluent 83-ball century, leaving India chasing a hefty total.

Brief scores:

New Zealand 337/8 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 137, Glenn Phillips 106; Arshdeep Singh 3-63, Harshit Rana 3-84) beat India 296 all out in 46 overs (Virat Kohli 124, Nitish Kumar Reddy 53, Harshit Rana 52; Kristian Clarke 3-54, Zakary Foulkes 3-77) by 41 runs