India walk into Sunday’s fifth and final ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, with the series still to be decided and a bruised batting line-up to repair. The visitors lead 2-1, but Friday’s 244-run defeat, bowled out for 89, has left the decider wide open.
Sunday’s match starts at 7:30 AM IST, with the toss at 7:00 AM. It is the last game of a five-match series that has swung both ways, and India’s final ODI outing before the Tests begin in Wellington on November 19.
Friday’s collapse still stings
New Zealand posted 334, built around a fine hundred from Will Young, who was dropped twice in the slips, and a fifty from Tim Seifert. India’s reply never got going: Matt Henry struck three times in his opening over, India slumped to 9 for 4 inside the sixth over, and the innings folded for 89 in 26.4 overs.
It was India’s second-heaviest ODI defeat. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both fell for ducks in the same match, only the second time in 16 years that has happened to the pair in an ODI, and captain Shreyas Iyer fell on a forgettable captaincy debut.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir did not hide his concern afterwards. He said the conditions were the closest to what India might face at the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, and the bigger worry was how quickly the side was bundled out, in around 26 or 27 overs.
The series equation
India won the first ODI by five wickets and the second by four runs under the DLS method, before rain washed out the third in Hamilton. Friday’s defeat cut the lead to 2-1, which leaves the maths simple: a win on Sunday gives India the series 3-1, a New Zealand win squares it at 2-2, and a washout hands India a 2-1 series win.
A New Zealand win would also preserve a home record that has stood for seven years, and the surface at Bay Oval offered seam movement under lights on Friday, which the home bowlers used far better than India’s attack did.
What India must fix
The batting against the moving ball is the obvious concern. Iyer admitted conditions changed drastically in favour of the bowlers in the second innings, but he also pointed to the gap between the two attacks in the first powerplay: New Zealand’s pacers created pressure from the first over, India’s did not, and the chase was effectively lost before it began.
The top order carries the most scrutiny. Rohit and Iyer are yet to make a mark in the series, and for Rohit and Kohli, both now one-format players, this could be their last ODI tour of New Zealand. The fix is method, not occasion: watch the ball late, leave well, and refuse to chase wide deliveries early.
Gurnoor Brar picked up two wickets in the fourth ODI but leaked runs, and Kuldeep Yadav, playing his first match of the series, was taken apart by Will Young. Mohammed Siraj is expected to return for the decider.
Team news
Kuldeep has been released from the Test squad to play domestic cricket, while Gurnoor Brar has been added to the Test squad for the two-match series starting November 19 in Wellington. Uncapped New Zealand fast bowler Brett Randell, called up for the final two ODIs, remains in contention for a debut.
India squad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav.
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay, Nick Kelly, Brett Randell, Tim Seifert, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
When and where to watch
The fifth ODI will be played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Sunday, November 15. The match begins at 7:30 AM IST, with the toss at 7:00 AM IST. Live telecast is on the Sony Sports Network in India, and live streaming is on the SonyLIV app and website.
FAQs
When is the India vs New Zealand 5th ODI?
The fifth and final ODI will be played on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, starting at 7:30 AM IST.
What is the series score before the 5th ODI?
India lead 2-1. They won the first two ODIs, the third was abandoned due to rain, and New Zealand won the fourth by 244 runs.
What happened in the 4th ODI?
New Zealand scored 334 and bowled India out for 89 in 26.4 overs. Matt Henry took three wickets in his opening over, and Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both fell for ducks.
Where can I watch the IND vs NZ 5th ODI live?
The match will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network in India and streamed live on the SonyLIV app and website.
What happens if New Zealand win the 5th ODI?
The series will end drawn at 2-2. An India win makes it 3-1, while a washout gives India a 2-1 series victory.
All eyes are on Bay Oval on Sunday morning. India need one good day with the bat, and New Zealand need one more to make it a drawn series.
