IND vs NZ 4th ODI: India Collapses for 89, Suffers 244-Run Defeat
In a stunning batting meltdown that left cricket fans across India—from Lucknow, Kanpur, and Varanasi to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Kolkata—in disbelief on Friday, November 13, 2026, Team India crashed to a 244-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth One-Day International at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. Chasing a formidable target of 334 set on the back of Will Young’s fluent 125, the Men in Blue were skittled out for a dismal 89 runs in 26.4 overs, registering their second-largest defeat by runs in 50-over cricket history.
What made the collapse especially jarring for Indian supporters was the instantaneous dismissal of the team’s three most seasoned batting pillars—Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer—all falling for ducks inside a sensational opening over from New Zealand pace spearhead Matt Henry.
Three Ducks in Over One: How Matt Henry Dismantled India’s Top Order
Earlier in the day, after India elected to bowl first, New Zealand posted 333 all out in 50 overs, anchored by opener Will Young’s 108-ball 125 (14 fours, 4 sixes), brisk support from Tim Seifert (58) and Finn Allen (41), and late lower-order runs from Mitchell Santner (24) and Kristian Clarke (22). Yet the chase effectively unraveled before India had even put a single run on the board:
0/1 (0.1 Overs): On the very first delivery of the innings, Rohit Sharma edged a moving seam delivery from Matt Henry to Finn Allen at first slip for a golden duck.
0/2 (0.5 Overs): Four balls later, Virat Kohli (0 off 4 balls) had his stumps shattered by a nip-backer from Henry.
0/3 (0.6 Overs): On the final ball of the opening over, Shreyas Iyer was trapped plumb LBW for a golden duck, leaving India reeling at 0 for 3.
9/4 (5.3 Overs): Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, handed an opportunity at the top of the order, managed just 5 off 13 balls before edging Kyle Jamieson to Michael Bracewell.
Only three Indian batters reached double figures—Ishan Kishan (27 off 53), Axar Patel (21 off 36), and Naman Dhir (21 off 24)—while Matthew Fisher chipped in with 3 for 31 to complement Henry’s career-best ODI spell of 6 for 27 in 9.4 overs.
India’s Largest ODI Defeats by Runs in Cricket History
With the 244-run loss in Mount Maunganui, India narrowly avoided its all-time worst ODI margin by just two runs—surpassing its 214-run defeat to South Africa in 2015 to sit second on the unwanted historical list:
| Rank | Margin of Defeat | Opponent | Venue & Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 245 Runs | Sri Lanka | Sharjah, October 2000 |
| 2 | 244 Runs | New Zealand | Mount Maunganui, November 13, 2026 |
| 3 | 214 Runs | South Africa | Mumbai (Wankhede), October 2015 |
| 4 | 208 Runs | Australia | Sydney, February 2004 |
| 5 | 200 Runs | New Zealand | Dambulla, August 2010 |
Series Still Alive at 2–1 Ahead of Sunday’s Decider
Despite Friday’s humbling setback, India still holds a 2–1 lead in the five-match ODI series. Having won the opening two fixtures—including a five-wicket DLS triumph in Auckland—before the third ODI was washed out by rain, the visitors now head into the fifth and final ODI on Sunday needing a swift batting rebound to clinch the series, while a revitalized New Zealand side will push hard to square the rubber 2–2.
