India clinches rain‑shortened ODI win over New Zealand despite tricky Wellington pitch

India secured a rain‑affected win over New Zealand in Wellington, chasing a target that proved harder than expected on a challenging surface. New Zealand were bowled out for 134, with Daryl Mitchell top‑scoring with 55 off 104 balls. Gurnoor Brar took four wickets for 30 runs in his ten overs, sparking the collapse. India slipped to 86/5 early in the chase, but KL Rahul’s 26 steadied the innings before rain halted play. At the stoppage India were 113/7 in 26 overs, still needing 22 runs from 66 balls, and the Duckworth‑Lewis‑Stern method awarded them a four‑wicket win. Skipper Shubman Gill said he had expected an easy chase after dismissing New Zealand for 135, but the pitch made batting difficult and the side lost two more wickets than desired. Gill praised Brar’s pace, bounce and potential, noting that more experience will bring consistency. The victory gives India a 2‑0 lead in the five‑match series after winning the first ODI by five wickets. ## Context The Duckworth‑Lewis‑Stern method adjusts target scores when rain interrupts limited‑overs cricket, using the resources (overs and wickets) each team has left to calculate a fair result.