India edged out New Zealand by four runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-affected second One-Day International on Saturday, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The victory was sealed when play was abandoned with India at 113-7 off 26 overs, four runs ahead of the DLS par score of 109.

Put in to bat on a challenging Wellington pitch, New Zealand struggled to build momentum against India's disciplined pace attack, ultimately being bowled out for 134 in 41 overs. The wet conditions significantly impacted batting, making the chase difficult for the visiting side. India now requires one more win to clinch the series, with the third ODI scheduled for Tuesday in Hamilton.

The Indian chase was disrupted early by New Zealand's seamers. Captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for a golden duck, and Virat Kohli followed soon after, leaving India in early trouble. Paceman Kyle Jamieson further dented the chase by taking the wicket of top-scorer Shreyas Iyer, who had made 30, reducing India to 86-5 at one stage.

India's seam bowlers were instrumental in restricting New Zealand. Gurnoor Brar delivered his career-best ODI figures of 4-30, taking crucial wickets to dismantle the middle order. Auqib Nabi also contributed with his first international wickets, claiming two early scalps to finish with 2-31, stifling New Zealand's progress from the outset.

New Zealand's innings was anchored by a watchful 55 from Daryl Mitchell and a valuable 31 from captain Mitchell Santner. However, no other batsman managed to reach double figures, highlighting the effectiveness of India's tight bowling and the difficult batting conditions. The unpredictable bounce and disciplined seam bowling from India proved too much for the home side.

In the rain-interrupted chase, KL Rahul was at the crease on 26 and Auqib Nabi on one when the umpires decided to call off play. Their unbeaten partnership of 27 runs was crucial in guiding India past the DLS target, securing a hard-fought victory.

This win follows India's five-wicket victory in the rain-hit opener in Auckland earlier in the week, where they successfully chased a target after bowling New Zealand out for 185. The series now shifts to Hamilton, with India aiming to seal the contest, while New Zealand will be looking to bounce back.

New Zealand's bowlers, including Jacob Duffy (3-35) and Kyle Jamieson (3-35), put in a strong effort to defend their modest total. Despite their bowling performance, they were ultimately unable to prevent India from securing a narrow victory through the DLS calculation.