New Zealand made history on January 18, 2026, by clinching their first-ever One Day International (ODI) series victory on Indian soil, defeating the hosts 2-1. The decisive third ODI, played in Indore, saw New Zealand emerge victorious by 41 runs. The Black Caps' triumph was built on exceptional batting performances from Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips. Mitchell, who was also named Player of the Match, scored a magnificent 137 runs, while Phillips contributed a crucial 106. Their impressive 219-run fourth-wicket partnership propelled New Zealand to a formidable total of 337/8 after they were put in to bat first, recovering from an early struggle at 58/3. India's chase, despite a valiant effort from captain Virat Kohli, fell short. Kohli smashed his record-extending 54th ODI century, scoring 124 runs off 108 balls, marking his 85th international century overall. He also surpassed Ricky Ponting to become the highest run-scorer at number three in ODIs. Kohli found some support from Nitish Kumar Reddy (53) and Harshit Rana (52), but regular wickets hampered India's momentum, and they were eventually bowled out for 296 in 46 overs. This historic series win is New Zealand's first bilateral ODI series victory in India in eight attempts since 1988, marking a significant milestone in their cricketing history.