The first One Day International between India and New Zealand was interrupted by rain at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The weather affected the match before the start and again during India's run chase, leaving players and supporters waiting for conditions to improve.
India entered the series opener under the leadership of Shubman Gill, while Mitchell Santner captained the New Zealand side. The match is part of India's tour of New Zealand and marks the beginning of the ODI series between the two teams.
India win the toss and elect to bowl
India won the toss and chose to field first. Gill said the overcast conditions could assist the bowlers and that chasing a target would be a suitable option.
The toss itself was delayed because of light drizzle at Eden Park. The match was originally scheduled to begin at 7:30 am Indian Standard Time, but the weather affected the pre-match proceedings.
India made changes to their bowling combination, selecting four fast bowlers. The playing XI included Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi and Gurnoor Brar, alongside Axar Patel as the spin option. Kuldeep Yadav was not included in the starting eleven.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also featured in India's batting line-up, alongside Gill, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul.
New Zealand dismissed for 185
New Zealand struggled to build a substantial total against India's bowling attack and were dismissed for 185 in 40.2 overs.
Tim Seifert was among the leading contributors with 38 runs, while Glenn Phillips scored 30. Daryl Mitchell added 28 runs, and Blair Tickner contributed 34 towards the end of the innings.
Arshdeep Singh led India's bowling performance, taking four wickets. Gurnoor Brar claimed three wickets, while Anshul Kamboj picked up two. Their contributions restricted the home side to a relatively modest total.
Cricket World
New Zealand's innings ended at 185, leaving India with a target of 186 runs to win the opening match.
Rain interrupts India's run chase
India began their chase but suffered an early setback when Rohit Sharma was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson.
Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli then continued the innings as India attempted to move towards the target. However, another spell of rain forced the players off the field.
A live update published by CREX at 1:05 pm IST reported that India were 54 for one after 10.5 overs, requiring another 132 runs to win. The interruption also led to the ground staff covering the playing area.
CREX
The BCCI's official match centre subsequently displayed a different live snapshot of India's innings, showing 31 for one after 4.5 overs. Live score feeds can update at different times, so the official match centre should be checked for the latest confirmed score.
Match Centre
Revised target depends on weather
With rain affecting the match, the playing time available to both teams has become an important factor.
If overs are reduced, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method may be used to calculate a revised target for India. The target will depend on the number of overs available and the match situation when play resumes.
CREX published possible revised targets for different reductions in playing time. These were illustrative calculations and should not be treated as the final official target unless confirmed by the match officials.
CREX
India and New Zealand await restart
Both teams will be hoping for a sufficient break in the rain to resume the contest. India will be looking to complete the chase and begin the series with a victory, while New Zealand will aim to use home conditions to put pressure on the visitors.
The weather remains the major factor influencing the match. The final result will depend on whether sufficient playing time is available and whether the teams can complete the required overs.
The first ODI has therefore become a weather-affected contest, with supporters awaiting the next official update from Eden Park.
