HYDERABAD: New Zealand appears to have carried their luck and determination across the Wagah Border after scripting a fairytale-like series victory in Pakistan recently. In the first ODI of the three-match series against India, they almost won an improbable victory. The Indians were scared by Michael Bracewell's 140 (12x4, 10x6) off just 78 balls, but the Kiwis were 13 runs short of their target of 350 for victory.
In what turned out to be quite a contest, Michael cooled the Indian spirits under the lights on a cool late winter evening while Shubman Gill blazed to a double century under the afternoon winter sun.
Mohammed Siraj performed admirably when Rohit Sharma gave the ball to him with one over remaining. Suryakumar Yadav caught Santner (57) off the fourth ball, ending a defiant 162-run stand. New Zealand's hopes were dashed when Siraj castrated Henry Shipley (0) immediately after. Siraj finished with his second four-wicket haul in a row (4/46). This is the best bowling score ever recorded at this location, surpassing Umesh Yadav's 2014 score of four for 53 against Sri Lanka.
Shardul Thakur caught Michael leg before off the second ball of the final over, leaving the visitors needing 13 runs to win. Hardik Pandya only gave up four runs in the 49th over.
In the past, Gill, who was 23 years old at the time, took the spotlight away from his more famous teammates, like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India cruised to a massive 349 for eight on Gill's 149-ball 208 (19x4, 9x6). Gill demonstrated that he is beginning to come into his own and is realizing his potential through match-winning performances in the process. Not only did the injury secure him a spot at the top of the lineup, but it also guaranteed him a spot in the World Cup later this year.
Even though Rohit scored the majority of the runs in their 60-run partnership for the first wicket, Gill took his time getting comfortable in the beginning. However, as the sun set, Gill burst into action and lit up the stadium. In the 48th and 49th overs, he hit six sixes to put India in an unbeatable position. Interestingly, Gill reached his half-century with a six, 99 with his second six, and 153 with his third six. After that, he hit sixes off three consecutive balls to go from 182 to 200.
Henry Shipley took some time to get his line right, so New Zealand, who had lost the toss, started with two wide balls. Shipley also gave Rohit a loose full toss after five dot balls, which the Indian skipper gleefully drove through the covers for the match's first boundary. In the following over, Gill got in on the action by hitting Lockie Ferguson's third delivery for a boundary through the cover area.
Rohit lofted Shipley over the extra cover fence for the match's first six in the third over. Rohit executed his patient short arm pull over deep backward square leg in the fifth over against Shipley for the subsequent hit. Rohit (34; His attempt to hit a Blair Tickner delivery over his head resulted in a mishit, which was swallowed up by Daryl Mitchell at mid-on (38 balls, 4x, 4, 2x6).
A monumental double-century from @ShubmanGill makes him the Player of... https://t.co/R6h98csRsw — BCCI (@BCCI) 1674060381000 Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who was brought into the innings as early as the ninth over, sent Kohli back (8) in the 16th over, leaving India at 88 for two. With a ball that turned, Kohli was left stunned. He turned around to defend, covering the line but not the turn. It struck the top of the off stump after passing over his outside edge.
Gill and Suryakumar Yadav held the innings together despite the early losses of Kohli (8) and Kishan (5). The right-handed batsman made the most of the 45th-inning reprieve he received from Tom Latham off Michael Bracewell. With his first six, he went from 46 to 52, and he never looked back. Gill and SKY added 65 runs for the fourth wicket at Gill's fast pace before SKY was run out on 31. After that, Gill hit his second six and stole a single to reach the sought-after three-figure mark with 14 fours and two sixes off 87 balls.
After that, Gill controlled the Kiwis' bowling attack at every turn.