Gill’s ODI double century puts India 1-0 up on New Zealand

Hyderabad: Touted as the future Indian cricket super star, Shubman Gill showcased his full potential with an array of strokes en route to his maiden double century (208 off 149; 19×4, 9×6), as India held their nerves to win a high-scoring thriller by 12 runs against New Zealand in the first ODI at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

In front of a near-full-capacity crowd, Gill put his prowess on display to power India to 349/8. What looked like a smooth passage for India at the half-way stage of the chase when the visitors were reduced to 131/6 in the 25th over, Michael Bracewell played a blinder of a knock hitting 140 in just 78 balls to take his side close to the victory. With Mitchell Santner, Bracewell added 162 off 102 deliveries for the seventh wicket. Needing 20 off the final over with one wicket in hand, Bracewell launched Thakur for a six to reduce the required equation to 13 from five. But Shardul caught Bracewell in front of the wickets to take his side over the line.

Local lad Mohammed Siraj returned with the best figures at the venue with 4/46 while Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets.