Match started at 1:30 pm after India won the toss and chose to bat against New Zealand in Today’s match. Main reason India chose to bat in today’s match is because the pitch was little dry today.
“We will bat first. Looks a good pitch, little dry. We want to make sure we want to bowl under lights and defend score. We did well against Sri Lanka, but this is a different challenge. Important for us to keep the momentum going. The spirit in the team is really good. Three changes. Hardik is back, Shradul is back. Sky and Ishan are playing as well” said Rohit Sharma.
Game began with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill with Henry Shipley starting the proceedings for New Zealand. Henry Shipley started off with a six-run over. Bowled a couple of wides but then he started teasing Rohit Sharma. However, Rohit puts the final ball of the over away to the cover fence. That’s how Rohit ended the first over with a cracking boundary.
Gill started with a boundary as well by scoring four runs at once, while Rohit ended the third over with a maximum runs. Rohit scored second maximum of the afternoon by scoring six runs at once, whereas Gill took on Tickner by scoring Back-to-Back boundaries.
Soon Blair Tickner took the wicket of Rohit Sharma, he got rid of Rohit by throwing a short ball. While everyone was in shock after Rohit got out, Gill continued to impress as he moved into 30s. After Rohit, Virat joined the game by hitting his first boundary.
After 15 overs, India scored 88 runs with the run rate of 5.87, which is low as compared to the previous match with Lanka.
Soon Virat gets out of the match too, he misjudged the length and played on the backfoot, because of that the ball went past the outside edge and crashed into his off stump. While Kohli was out, Shubman Gill scored his half century with a SIX. However, Lockie got rid of Ishan as he grabbed his first wicket.
As Surya joins the match, he scores four, just 10 balls into his innings and Suryakumar Yadav struck four boundaries. Team India scored 154 runs with the run rate of 6.16, the run rate improved a lot since the match started. As India scores 154 runs, Gill cracked his 14th boundary as he moved to 84. As Gill moved to 90, Mitchell got rid of Surya.
However, Gill continued to score runs and he finally scored his second century. Gill and Hardik continued to score runs, later, India scored 227 runs after 36.1 overs. Soon Gill surpassed his highest score of 130 which he got Zimbabwe in Harare in 2022.
While Kiwis finally got the wicked of Hardik, Gill kept on his game by getting closer to 150 runs and with six runs he scored 150. Gill scored 150 runs in just 122 balls.
Shipley grabbed his first wicket of Sundar. Kiwis kept on maintaining pressure on India, because of which India didn’t score any boundaries in last 20 balls. India scored 300 runs after 46.1 overs.
Soon Gill finally shifts his gear by scoring a hat-trick of sixes, which resulted in Gill scoring 200 up in just 145 balls. Gill became the youngest player to score a double hundred, as fans cheered a terrific effort from Gill. India scored 349 runs with 8 wickets.
New Zealand began the chase for 350 runs with Finn Allen and Devon Conway. Allen and Conway started with full confidence by scoring few boundaries. However, their confidence doesn’t last long as Siraj gets the wicket of Conway. This resulted in New Zealand scoring no runs in last 23 balls.
However, Nicholls finally cracks the boundary by scoring four. While Allen takes on Hardik by scoring Multiple boundaries. New Zealand scores 62 runs with 1 wicket after 11 over.
Shardul gets rid of Allen by short ball strategy. Soon, Kuldeep gets rid of Nicholls and Mitchell. As Shami returns, he gets the wicket of Phillips. New Zealand scores 153 runs with 6 wickets after 32 overs.
Bracewell begins to put pressure on Team India by scoring boundaries. Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santer continued to put pressure on India with a century standoff in just 62 balls. Soon Bracewell scores hundred with a Six. As Mitchell Santner joins the party by scoring boundaries.
However, Siraj breaks the 162-run partnership. Soon Siraj grabbed his fourth wicket.
After hours of struggle and teamwork, team India finally won the match against New Zealand by 12 runs.
Shubman Gill took advantage of his amazing form to hit his first double century in the ODI format and help the Indian team score 349 for eight against Kiwis in the first match of the three-day series.
Gill blazed his way to 208 off 149 balls with the help of 19 boundaries and nine sixes to ensure India post a big total.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya also played some valuable knocks.
All-rounder Daryl Mitchell was the pick of the bowlers for Kiwis with 2/30. Henry Shipley took two wickets, while Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner and Mitchell Santner picked a wicket each.
Chasing 350, New Zealand lost their opener Devon Conway for just 10 off 16 balls. It was Mohammed Siraj once again who had struck gold for Men in Blue in early overs. Kiwis were 28/1 in 5.4 overs. Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner partnership saved the match for some time. Bracewell anchored the innings and smashed 140 runs. Then, Shardul Thakur dismissed him in the last over as the hosts claimed a 12-run win.
