Daryl Mitchell’s 131* eclipses KL Rahul’s 112*; NZ win 2nd ODI by 7 wickets

Rajkot: Indian spinners were out-bowled on home turf once again and KL Rahul’s unbeaten ton was eclipsed by Daryl Mitchell’s splendid 131 not out as New Zealand levelled the three-match series 1-1 with a seven-wicket win in the second ODI here on Wednesday.

New Zealand not only adapted but also executed better than India on a sluggish wicket here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium to keep the hosts to 284/7 despite Rahul’s 91-ball 112 not out (9 fours, 1 six), and overhauled the target in 47.3 overs to end at 286 for three.

The series-deciding third ODI will be played in Indore on Sunday.

Young (87 off 98 balls; 7 fours) and Mitchell (131 not out off 117 balls; 11 fours, 2 sixes) steadied New Zealand with a 162-run second-wicket stand, guiding the visitors past the target without a late hiccup. Debutant Jayden Lennox (10-0-42-1) bowled tightly, while Kuldeep Yadav (10-0-82-1) struggled with line and flight. A reprieve for Mitchell from Prasidh Krishna’s drop proved costly. Ravindra Jadeja (27) and Rahul (112*) added 73 runs in a fifth-wicket stand, but other wickets fell cheaply, including Virat Kohli (23) and Shreyas Iyer (8).

New Zealand’s spinners conceded just 89 runs for two wickets in 23 overs, while India’s spin duo of Kuldeep and Jadeja gave away 126 runs in 18 overs. Harshit Rana and Siraj built early pressure, dismissing Devon Conway (34/1 after powerplay) cheaply. Discipline, calculated stroke play, and minimal errors helped New Zealand complete a seven-wicket victory.