New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell hit a blistering century on Wednesday night, raising the pulse of the entire Indian team, including Shubman Gill. There was a time when the Kiwis needed 240 runs in 25 overs while chasing a target of 350 runs and half their team had returned to the pavilion. Then Bracewell came on the field and started taking the team closer to this difficult target. Bracewell also scored a 57-ball century during this period, the third fastest by any New Zealand batsman. With this century, the New Zealand all-rounder equaled the world record of former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Before Bracewell, Dhoni was the only player in the world to have two hundreds in ODI cricket batting at number 7 or lower. Now Bracewell has equaled Mahi’s century against India. Bracewell had scored an unbeaten 127 against Ireland in 2022 before India, while Dhoni had scored centuries at this position against Africa XI and Pakistan.

IND vs NZ: Player of the match Shubman Gill broke many records by scoring a double century; Sachin, Rohit also left behind

Talking about the match, India was successful in reaching the score of 349 while batting first on the basis of opener Shubman Gill’s double century. Apart from Gill, no Indian batsman could even cross the 40-run mark. Captain Rohit Sharma scored 34 and Suryakumar Yadav scored 31 runs. Gill became the 5th player to score a double century for India.

India made it to the Super-6 in the Under-19 World Cup, hunting Scotland after South Africa and UAE

Chasing this target, the Kiwi team was pushed on the backfoot by the Indian bowlers with the initial shocks. The visitors had lost their 5 wickets for 110 runs when Bracewell came out to bat, captain Tom Latham was unable to support the man and New Zealand lost their 6th wicket for 131 runs. At that time, it seemed that India would easily win this match, but Bracewell and Santner made a big partnership in the match.

The partnership of 162 runs for the 7th wicket between the two batsmen is the third highest partnership at this position in the history of ODI cricket. Coming in the 46th over, Siraj brought India back into the match by dismissing Henry Shipley along with Santner, but Bracewell was still wreaking havoc at the other end. New Zealand needed 20 runs in the last over and Bracewell welcomed Shardul Thakur with a six, but he was out LBW on the very next ball and the entire New Zealand team was reduced to 337 runs. Bracewell played a brilliant inning of 140 runs with the help of 12 fours and 10 sixes. It was the fourth best score by any batsman while batting at No. 7.

Bracewell became the first player to do this feat by beating Indian bowlers, said- ‘It is the early days of his career and…’

170* Luke Ronchi vs SL Dunedin 2015
146* Marcus Stoinis vs New Zealand Auckland 2017
140 Thisara Perera v New Zealand Mount Maunganui 2019
140 Michael Bracewell v India Hyderabad 2023
128 MS Dhoni vs Africa XI 2007