Representative image. JaumeBG, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
India are assured of at least a drawn series, but an outright series victory is still undecided. The final two fixtures will determine that outcome.
The Hamilton ODI washout on 10 November 2026 left India 2-0 ahead of New Zealand with two matches still to play. Rain prevented a ball from being bowled at Seddon Park, so India can no longer lose the five-match one-day international series, though the hosts can still draw it.
Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to field, but the weather stopped the match from starting, according to the Times of India and news agency Asian News International (ANI). The teams now move to Mount Maunganui for the remaining games on 13 and 15 November.
How the Hamilton ODI washout changes the series
The Hamilton ODI washout gives neither side a victory. India’s two wins from the opening matches remain intact, while New Zealand have only two opportunities left to close the gap. That distinction matters: an unassailable lead means India cannot finish behind, but it does not yet mean they have won the series outright.
New Zealand need victories in both remaining games to finish level at 2-2. One more India win would put the visitors beyond reach. The Hamilton ODI washout has therefore removed the possibility of a New Zealand series victory without deciding whether the final outcome will be an India win or a draw.
NewsPlainly’s comparison below uses the present 2-0 score and assumes both remaining games produce completed results. It is arithmetic, rather than a prediction about form or the weather.
| Last two games | Final score | Series outcome |
|---|---|---|
| India win both | India 4-0 | India win |
| One win each | India 3-1 | India win |
| New Zealand win both | 2-2 | Draw |
Rain returned after Gill chose to field
Tuesday’s fixture never reached its first delivery. The Times of India reported that rain and a wet outfield delayed the toss, and that the rain returned as ground staff were preparing the playing area. The umpires eventually abandoned the game.
ANI also reported Gill’s decision to bowl and the cancellation. The Hamilton ODI washout was the third successive match in this series to be affected by rain. Unlike the first two, however, it produced no result. There was no batting score, bowling spell or partnership from this match to assess.
The difference from Wellington is especially useful for readers following the results. A rain interruption can still leave enough play for a result under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system, which adjusts targets in shortened games. In Hamilton, there was no play at all.
Why Wellington counted as an India victory
The International Cricket Council’s account of the second match records a four-run India win by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method on 7 November. New Zealand had been bowled out for 134 in 41 overs before India’s chase was interrupted.
Gurnoor Brar took 4/30 in that game, with Auqib Nabi returning 2/31 and Anshul Kamboj 2/25. Shreyas Iyer made 30 and KL Rahul finished unbeaten on 26. Those performances belong to Wellington, not to the Hamilton ODI washout.
India’s earlier victory came in Auckland on 4 November, by five wickets under the same rain-adjustment method, the council’s results list shows. Together, those wins explain why Tuesday’s cancellation protects India’s position even though it adds nothing to their win total. Our report on the Wellington result explains that earlier finish.
Iyer takes charge for the final two matches
There is also a leadership change for the closing part of the series. ANI and the Times of India reported that Gill and Rahul are leaving for Test preparations, with Iyer taking over as captain for the last two one-day internationals.
Both remaining fixtures are scheduled for Mount Maunganui, on 13 and 15 November, according to the council’s published itinerary. The immediate task for the hosts is to keep the possibility of a drawn series alive; the visitors need one further win for an outright series victory. The Hamilton ODI washout leaves those two outcomes open.
Frequently asked questions
Have India won the ODI series?
India cannot lose from 2-0 up with two matches left. New Zealand can still draw 2-2 by winning both.
Was any play possible in Hamilton?
No ball was bowled on 10 November, although Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to field.
When are the final two matches?
They are scheduled for 13 and 15 November at Mount Maunganui.