India's explosive opener Shubman Gill slammed a terrific double-century in the high-scoring contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday against New Zealand. He also became the fastest to reach the landmark at the age of 23. Gill scored a sensational 208 in 149 balls and powered India to 349/8 in the 50-over. He also got the Player of the Match for his outstanding knock.
"He (Kishan) is one of my best mates. I was there when he scored his ODI double-hundred and it was special. It feels nice when you want to do something and it is coming off regularly. Definitely a sense of satisfaction. It (double ton) has sunk in pretty well. The game went much closer than I expected," Gill said at the post-match ceremony.
After Gill's terrific knock, skipper Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, who also scored a double century a month ago joined him for a chat.
Shubman Gill revealed, "He (Kishan) spoils my entire pre-match routine as he doesn't let me sleep. He doesn't use earphones and watches movie in full volume. Isko main gaali deke bolta hu bhai awaz kam kar le ya earphones laga le. Par ye bolta hai 'tu mere room mein so raha hai. Meri marzi se chalega. Har roz ladai hoti hai. (I abuse him and ask him to turn down the volume but he says it is his room and the rules will be according to him. I fight with him daily). This is my pre-match."
In reply to that Ishan said, “I think it is because you slept in my room, you scored my runs.”
Earlier, India emerged victorious by 12 runs but for as long as Michael Bracewell was out there in the middle, a billion Indian fans were at the edge of their seats.
Ultimately, Shardul Thakur and India had to get Bracewell out of their way to taste a win and go 1-0 up but not before he had entertained everyone with a superb hundred even if it came in a losing cause. In fact, the match looked dead and buried with the BlackCaps having lost their 6th wicket at the score of 131 but Bracewell and Mitchell Santner's (57 off 45) 162-run stand for the 7th wicket off 102 deliveries helped the visitors made a match out of it.
In the end, the partnership was broken by Mohammed Siraj who was one of the stars for India, ending with figures of 4 for 46, going at just 4.60 runs per over when the asking rate for the opposition was 7 at the outset. Later, Bracewell was at the risk of running out of partners but he kept hitting boundaries and sixes and found himself on strike with 20 to get from 6 balls and even smashed the first ball of the last over for a six.