Shubman Gill had a day to remember on Wednesday as he scored his first double-century in an ODI match between India and New Zealand in Hyderabad. The youthful player had remarkable innings, hitting 19 boundaries and nine sixes. With the 100, Gill surpassed teammate Ishan Kishan to become the youngest player in history and the fifth Indian cricketer to hit a double century in an ODI. When he hit three huge sixes off Lockie Ferguson to reach 200, the dressing room exploded in cheers, with Umran Malik leading the way.
2⃣0⃣0⃣ !🔥 🎇
𝑮𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑮𝒊𝒍𝒍!🙌🙌
One mighty knock! 💪 💪
The moment, the reactions & the celebrations 🎉 👏
Follow the match 👉 https://t.co/IQq47h2W47 #TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/sKAeLqd8QV
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2023
He finally earned a loud welcome in the dressing room after being let go for 208. Just outside the pavilion, he was hailed by Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, and Hardik Pandya. Vikram Rathour, the batting coach, also offered his congratulations as the stadium’s spectators praised his performance. The opener, who accomplished the feat in just 19 innings, also set a record for the fastest Indian cricketer to 1000 runs. With 18 innings, Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman tops the leaderboard, placing him second overall.
In his exceptional 208 off 149 balls, Gill exuded class. He batted steadily throughout the innings to lead India to 349 for eight. The second-best score of the innings and captain Rohit Sharma’s performance of 34 off 38 demonstrated how much of a one-man show it was. When New Zealand was 131 for six and attempting to chase a lofty mark, they were all but out of the game. However, Michael Bracewell (140 off 78) produced an incredible century to get his team back into the match. He and fellow left-hander Mitchell Santer, who had an ODI seventh wicket record of 57 off 45, combined for 162 off 102 balls, to put India’s nerves to the test. In the end, India defeated Pakistan by 12 runs.
