India registered a hard-fought four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI in Vadodara on Sunday, with KL Rahul holding his nerve in the final overs after Virat Kohli narrowly missed out on a landmark century.

Chasing a target of 301, India appeared firmly in control for most of the innings, led by Kohli’s composed 93 off 91 balls. The former India captain struck eight fours and a six, anchoring the chase before falling seven runs short of what would have been his 85th international hundred.

Kohli’s dismissal triggered a brief collapse, allowing New Zealand back into the contest. However, Rahul remained calm under pressure, scoring an unbeaten 29 off 21 balls. His decisive penultimate over, featuring two boundaries and a six, ensured India crossed the line with six balls to spare.

Earlier, Shubman Gill contributed 56 while Shreyas Iyer looked set for a half-century before being bowled for 49. Harshit Rana also played a crucial cameo, adding 29 off 23 balls at a tense stage of the chase.

Despite disciplined spells from the New Zealand bowlers, India reached 306 for 6 in 49 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

New Zealand innings

Batting first, New Zealand posted a competitive 300 for 8. Daryl Mitchell led the charge with a counter-attacking 84 off 71 balls after early pressure from India’s pace attack. Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway also chipped in with half-centuries to provide stability to the innings.

India’s bowlers managed to pull things back at the death, preventing the visitors from pushing beyond the 300-run mark.

Key milestone and award

During his innings, Kohli became the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs, achieving the milestone in his 624th innings, surpassing the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar.

Despite missing out on a century, Kohli was named Player of the Match for his decisive contribution in the chase.

The second ODI of the series will be played on January 14.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru opened their Women’s Premier League 2026 campaign with a dramatic three-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians, riding on a sensational all-round performance from Nadine de Klerk in Navi Mumbai on Friday.

Opting to bowl first, RCB restricted Mumbai Indians to 154 for 6 in 20 overs, with de Klerk emerging as the standout performer. The South African all-rounder returned figures of 4 for 26, repeatedly breaking partnerships and preventing MI from building momentum.

Mumbai had found themselves in early trouble after being reduced to 67 for 4 in the 11th over. Gunalan Kamalini top-scored with 32 at the top, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur made 20. The innings was revived by Sajeevan Sajana, who played a fluent knock of 45 off 25 balls, hitting seven fours and a six. She added 82 runs for the fifth wicket with Nicola Carey, who contributed 40, helping MI post a competitive total.

Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil picked up one wicket each for RCB, while the match began with Bell delivering a maiden over that set the tone for the bowling effort.

RCB stumble before de Klerk’s rescue act

Chasing 155, RCB got off to a brisk start through Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris, who scored 18 and 25 respectively. The opening pair attacked early, but both fell in quick succession, triggering a collapse that saw RCB slip from 47 for 2 to 65 for 5 within a few overs.

Richa Ghosh, Dayalan Hemalatha and Radha Yadav departed cheaply, leaving RCB in deep trouble at 75 for 5 halfway through the chase. With wickets falling around her, de Klerk held firm, finding support briefly from Arundhati Reddy, who scored 20.

Last-over drama seals RCB victory

The match went down to the final over with RCB needing 18 runs and three wickets in hand. De Klerk rose to the occasion, striking a six and a four off the third and fourth deliveries before hammering another six off the penultimate ball. She then drove the final delivery for a four to complete an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls, sealing a memorable win for RCB.

RCB finished on 157 for 7, with Prema Rawat remaining not out on 8. For Mumbai Indians, Nicola Carey and Amelia Kerr claimed two wickets each, while Nat Sciver-Brunt, Shabnim Ismail and Amanjot Kaur took one apiece.

The WPL 2026 season thus began with a high-octane contest, highlighted by Nadine de Klerk’s match-winning performance with both bat and ball.

Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal announced the sudden death of his son, Agnivesh Agarwal, describing it as the darkest day of his life. Agnivesh, 49, died following a cardiac arrest in New York, where he was undergoing treatment after a skiing accident.

In an emotional message shared on social media, Agarwal said his son had been recovering well at Mount Sinai Hospital and that the family believed the worst phase was over. “But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us,” he wrote.

A journey from Patna to corporate leadership

Recalling his son’s life, Agarwal said Agnivesh was born in Patna on June 3, 1976, and grew up in a middle-class family. He studied at Mayo College in Ajmer and later went on to establish Fujeirah Gold.

Over the years, Agnivesh rose to become a prominent business leader, serving as chairman of Hindustan Zinc and leading key responsibilities within the Vedanta group. He was also the chairperson of Vedanta subsidiary Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd.

Despite his professional achievements, Agarwal said his son remained grounded and compassionate. “He was simple, warm, and deeply human,” he noted, adding that to him, Agnivesh was not just a son but also a close friend.

Renewing a promise to society

Agarwal said his son strongly believed in building a self-reliant India and often spoke about the country’s potential. Remembering those conversations, he reaffirmed a shared commitment to give back to society.

“I had promised Agni that more than 75% of what we earn would be given back to society. Today, I renew that promise and resolve to live an even simpler life,” he said.

In his concluding message, Agarwal said he would try to carry forward his son’s values and ideals, adding that Agnivesh would continue to live on through the lives he touched.

Condolences from Prime Minister Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences on the untimely passing of Agnivesh Agarwal. In a message posted on X, he said the loss was deeply shocking and saddening, and offered prayers for strength and courage to the Agarwal family.

Anil Agarwal has two children — his late son Agnivesh and his daughter Priya Agarwal, who serves on the board of Vedanta Ltd. and is the chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd.