In a bowler-dominated contest, India edged New Zealand by four runs (DLS method) to go 2-0 up in the five-match series. After a delayed start at the Hnry Stadium in Wellington due to rain and a wet outfield, the game was reduced to 47 overs per side. New Zealand ended up using only 41 overs, getting bowled out for 134 on a two-paced pitch that offered movement, with Gurnoor Brar bagging 4 for 30. The visitors also lost wickets at regular intervals, with Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy bagging three wickets each, but useful knocks from Shreyas Iyer (30) and KL Rahul (26* off 38) kept them afloat before two more spells of rain ended the game, with India marginally ahead on DLS.

India would have hoped that the chase would have been more straightforward than the nervy finish they ended up with. Rohit Sharma, beaten outside off by Jamieson in the opening over, got off the mark with an uppish four wide of backward point. Shubman Gill, meanwhile, lasted only one ball, edging Duffy to second slip. Virat Kohli played a trademark cover drive for a four while Rohit struck a pull off Jamieson for his second four. But India had another setback as Kohli, trying to play another cover drive, was early into his shot and handed a catch to cover to give Duffy his second wicket.

Iyer came out with a positive mindset, depositing a Duffy delivery over backward point for a six, followed by two maximums for Rohit off Jamieson as he hammered a pull over midwicket and a whip over square leg. But Jamieson had the last laugh as Rohit edged to second slip going for a drive, leaving India at 39 for 3 in the eighth over. Axar Patel nearly fell to a short delivery from Jamieson, awkwardly fending one away and the ball landed short of the fielder. The left-hander attempted a ramp off Nathan Smith and edged it for a four. But a similar attempt off Matt Fisher, who came in as concussion substitute for Blair Tickner, resulted in Axar's dismissal.

In trouble at 47 for 4, India launched a counterattack as Iyer got a couple of fours off Fisher, while Rahul executed two classy pulls for a four and a six off Smith. Rahul also survived a DRS appeal from New Zealand in the same over for a caught-behind. The fifth wicket pair struck regular boundaries as they added 39 before Iyer got into an awkward position to a short delivery from Jamieson, departing for 30. Naman Dhir, who would have been run out without facing a ball had Glenn Phillips managed a direct hit, got a boundary over point off Jamieson. Rahul then top-edged a six off Duffy to take India past 100 in the 23rd over.

Naman pulled one over bowler Duffy's head for a four but fell soon after, caught in the deep trying to clear deep backward square, with the third umpire confirming that Seifert had taken the catch with his foot not in contact with the ropes. A poor shot from Anshul Kamboj gave Jamieson his third wicket as India were 113 for 7 in 26 overs and 22 away when it began to rain again and forced the players off the field, with the chasing team ahead by just four runs. The match was to commence as a 37-over affair with India's target revised to 133, but the covers were back on as it started raining again and the game was eventually called off with India securing a narrow victory.

Earlier, asked to bat, New Zealand were in early trouble as the Indian pacers made good use of the helpful bowling conditions. Auqib Nabi bagged the first two wickets, getting Tim Seifert caught at mid on with one that stopped on him, and then getting Will Young to push at one outside off with Rahul taking a good catch behind the stumps. Daryl Mitchell edged a couple of Nabi deliveries for boundaries and also played a lofted shot for a six. At the other end, Henry Nicholls got an inside edge onto the stumps, giving Anshul Kamboj his first wicket as New Zealand slipped to 23 for 3.

Mitchell and Tom Latham built a watchful partnership but their 30-run association, which came off 64 balls, ended when Gurnoor struck twice in the 20th over. He first sent Latham back with a top-edged pull and then the in-form Phillips also fell in similar fashion without scoring as New Zealand were reduced to 53 for 5. Mitchell, meanwhile, had a lucky break as he was put down by Gill off Kamboj. He went on to register his seventh fifty-plus score in his last nine ODIs against India. Mitchell Santner supported Mitchell in a half-century stand as New Zealand crossed 100.

But the sixth-wicket stand ended abruptly as Mitchell departed for 55 attempting a big shot off Axar Patel. Santner struck a six off Gurnoor but fell soon after, edging to the 'keeper on 31. Axar picked up his second wicket by having Jamieson bowled before Gurnoor and Kamboj wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Smith and Tickner respectively, ending New Zealand's innings in the 41st over. Tickner was struck on his helmet earlier in the over and was ruled out for the remainder of the match, with Fisher coming in as the substitute.

Brief scores: New Zealand 134 all-out in 41 overs (Daryl Mitchell 55, Mitchell Santner 31; Gurnoor Brar 4-30, Anshul Kamboj 2-25) lost to India 113/7 in 26 overs (Shreyas Iyer 30, KL Rahul 26*; Kyle Jamieson 3-35, Jacob Duffy 3-35) by 4 runs (DLS method).