Brar takes four as India edge New Zealand by DLS to lead series 2-0

India beat New Zealand by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in Wellington on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in their five-match one-day international series. Rain ended the chase with India 113-7 after 26 overs, following New Zealand's dismissal for 134. The ICC's match report confirmed the result after a contest in which both pace attacks repeatedly broke through.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOoxQgMmEBA

India were four runs above the DLS par score of 109 when play stopped, according to Rediff's live report. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 26 from 38 balls, with Auqib Nabi on one. India had not reached their original target of 135, but the rain interruption and subsequent end of play meant the outcome was determined by the DLS calculation.

Gurnoor Brar provided the foundation for the victory with career-best figures of 4-30. BBC Sport's scorecard records two maidens in his 10 overs and the wickets of Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith. Nabi took 2-31, Anshul Kamboj 2-25 and Axar Patel 2-28 as India bowled the hosts out in 41 overs after choosing to field.

Daryl Mitchell's 55 was New Zealand's highest score, while Santner contributed 31. Their sixth-wicket partnership added 59, helping repair an innings that had slipped to 53-5. Axar removed Mitchell with the total on 112, and Santner departed seven runs later. The remaining three wickets yielded only 15 more runs, leaving New Zealand with a modest total to defend.

The chase nevertheless proved difficult. Jacob Duffy dismissed Shubman Gill without scoring and Virat Kohli for seven, while Kyle Jamieson removed Rohit Sharma for 23. Axar's dismissal for seven left India 47-4. Shreyas Iyer made 30 before falling to Jamieson at the end of the 20th over, with India still requiring 49 runs and five wickets remaining.

Naman Dhir contributed 12 before Duffy dismissed him, and Jamieson then removed Kamboj for one. Both New Zealand bowlers finished with three wickets, but Rahul remained at the crease when the weather intervened. The series continues in Hamilton on November 10, with India holding a two-match advantage and three ODIs still to play.