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November 8, 2026

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Virat Kohli batting against New Zealand
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Virat Kohli Passes Ricky Ponting’s Record as India Beat New Zealand in Rain-Hit Wellington Thriller

Faizan Altaf

Virat Kohli became the highest run-scorer against New Zealand in one-day international cricket on Saturday, passing Australian great Ricky Ponting’s long-standing record as India beat the Black Caps by four runs in a rain-hit second ODI in Wellington.

Kohli needed only one run to move past Ponting, and he got it with a boundary off the second ball he faced. It was a small knock — just seven runs — but it was enough to put his name at the top of yet another batting list. India went on to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, winning on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method after rain ended the match with the visitors four runs ahead of the par score.

It was a day when the bowlers ruled, the rain kept interrupting, and two of India’s greatest modern batters rewrote the record books in the same match. Rohit Sharma also passed Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi to become the leading six-hitter against New Zealand in ODIs.

A low-scoring thriller at the Hnry Stadium

Rain played a part from the very start. The match at Wellington’s Hnry Stadium was delayed, and when play finally began, the game had been reduced to 47 overs per side.

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that looked smart within minutes. On a pitch offering plenty of swing and seam movement for the fast bowlers, New Zealand’s batters never settled. The hosts were bowled out for just 134 in 41 overs — a total that looked far too small, even on a difficult batting surface.

Daryl Mitchell was the only New Zealand batter to pass fifty, scoring 55 from 104 balls, including two sixes. Captain Mitchell Santner chipped in with 31. Nobody else in the New Zealand line-up made a meaningful contribution, and the innings folded with six overs still unused.

The star of the show with the ball was young fast bowler Gurnoor Brar, who took four wickets for 30 runs — the best figures of his ODI career so far. He was well supported by Auqib Nabi, who took two wickets for 31 runs in seven overs, and Anshul Kamboj, who finished with two for 25 from eight overs. Brar was named Player of the Match for his four-wicket haul.

India’s chase: early wickets, then the rain

Chasing 135, India made life hard for themselves. Gill was out for a golden duck, caught in the slips off the very first ball he faced from Jacob Duffy. Kohli followed soon after, scoring seven runs from seven balls before Duffy had him caught at short cover.

That brief stay at the crease was all Kohli needed. He had gone into the match level with Ponting on 1,971 ODI runs against New Zealand, having drawn level with a match-winning 74 off 51 balls in the first ODI in Auckland. A cover drive off his second ball in Wellington took him past the Australian, and the record was his.

Rohit Sharma steadied things with 23 from 28 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 26 when the rain returned, holding the innings together as India slipped to 113 for seven after 26 overs.

That was where the match ended. The rain would not relent, and with India four runs ahead of the DLS par score of 109, the visitors were declared winners by four runs. It was an unusual way to win — India were still 22 runs short of their target with three wickets in hand — but under the DLS rules, being ahead of par when play is abandoned is enough.

Kohli’s new record, in numbers

Kohli now has 1,978 ODI runs against New Zealand from 38 matches, at an average of 56.51 and a strike rate of 97.87. He has scored seven centuries and 11 half-centuries against the Black Caps — the seven hundreds are the most by any batter against New Zealand in ODIs.

The list now reads:

BatterODI runs vs New Zealand
Virat Kohli (India)1,978
Ricky Ponting (Australia)1,971
Sachin Tendulkar (India)1,750
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)1,568

Ponting needed 50 innings across 51 matches to score his 1,971 runs, at an average of 45.83, with six centuries and 12 fifties. Kohli reached his tally in fewer matches and at a far higher average — a measure of just how consistently he has scored against New Zealand over the years.

It is the latest in a long line of records for the 38-year-old former captain. In the first ODI of this series in Auckland, he also became the first batter in ODI history to average more than 50 in all four SENA countries — South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. His average in New Zealand moved above 50 after that match, completing a set no other batter has managed.

Rohit passes Afridi’s sixes record

Kohli was not the only Indian batter to make history in Wellington. Rohit Sharma went past Shahid Afridi’s record for the most sixes against New Zealand in ODI cricket.

Rohit went into the match needing two sixes to pass Afridi’s tally of 50. He cleared the boundary twice — both times off New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson — during his knock of 23, taking his total to 51 sixes in 34 innings across 36 ODIs against the Black Caps.

Afridi, who played 38 ODIs against New Zealand and hit 50 sixes in 35 innings, now sits second on the list. West Indies great Chris Gayle is third with 45 sixes.

Rohit already holds the record for the most sixes in ODI cricket overall, with 383 maximums in 293 matches. He is also closing in on Gayle’s record for the most sixes against New Zealand across all three formats of international cricket — Gayle has 87, and Rohit now has 85.

Why this win matters

The result gives India a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series, with three matches still to play. Winning the first two games away from home, in difficult conditions, puts India in a strong position to wrap up the series early.

It also continues a pattern in this series: India’s fast bowlers have dominated. In both matches so far, the pace attack has done the damage, and the batters have had to work hard for every run on pitches that have helped the bowlers. For a team often known for its batting, winning through bowling is a healthy sign.

For New Zealand, the defeat will hurt. Posting only 134 after being put in to bat is not good enough at this level, and the hosts will know they let a winnable game slip away. Their bowlers did their job — Duffy’s early strikes had India in trouble at times — but the batters left them with too little to defend.

What happens next

The teams now move to Hamilton for the third ODI on Tuesday. New Zealand must win to keep the series alive, while an India win would seal the series with two matches to spare.

Kohli will have the chance to stretch his new record further, and Rohit will look to pull clear of Gayle in the all-formats sixes list against New Zealand. For the hosts, the focus will be simple: score more runs.

Frequently asked questions

How many ODI runs does Virat Kohli have against New Zealand?

Kohli has 1,978 ODI runs against New Zealand from 38 matches, at an average of 56.51, with seven centuries and 11 half-centuries. He passed Ricky Ponting’s previous record of 1,971 runs during the second ODI in Wellington on 7 November 2026.

Who held the record before Kohli?

Australian great Ricky Ponting, who scored 1,971 ODI runs against New Zealand in 51 matches, at an average of 45.83. Kohli drew level with Ponting in the first ODI in Auckland, then moved past him in Wellington.

How did India win the second ODI?

India won by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. New Zealand were bowled out for 134, and India were 113 for seven in 26 overs chasing 135 when rain ended the match. India were four runs ahead of the DLS par score of 109, so they were declared the winners.

What is the DLS method?

The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method is the system used in limited-overs cricket to decide a result when rain or bad weather stops play. It sets a revised target or a “par score” based on how many overs and wickets remain. If the team batting second is ahead of the par score when play is abandoned, they win.

Who was the Player of the Match?

India fast bowler Gurnoor Brar, who took four wickets for 30 runs as New Zealand were bowled out for 134. It was the best bowling performance of his ODI career so far.

What is the series score?

India lead the five-match ODI series 2-0. The third ODI is in Hamilton on Tuesday.

Conclusion

A rain-shortened match in Wellington delivered two records and a series lead for India. Kohli’s seven runs were among the most valuable of his career — the ones that took him past Ponting and to the top of the ODI run charts against New Zealand. Rohit’s two sixes took him past Afridi and to the top of another list. And Brar’s four wickets showed that India’s next generation of fast bowlers can win matches on their own.

New Zealand now face a must-win game in Hamilton. India, two up and full of confidence, will feel the series is theirs to lose.

Sources

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

Faizan Altaf

Faizan Altaf is the founder and author of findivoza.com, a news blog covering world, Pakistan, business, technology, health and sport in plain English. He writes for general readers who want clear, trustworthy news without jargon. His work focuses on explaining what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next.

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