Shubman Gill scored a brilliant 208 as India held on to beat New Zealand by 12 runs in the first one-day international in Hyderabad yesterday despite a blistering century from Michael Bracewell.
India looked to be coasting to victory with New Zealand in deep trouble at 131-6 while chasing 350 after opener Gill made just the 10th double hundred in ODI history.
All-rounder Bracewell responded by making 140 off 78 balls before falling in the final over when he was pinned leg before wicket by Shardul Thakur.
Disciplined early spells by India fast bowlers Mohamed Shami and Mohamed Siraj restricted New Zealand before Bracewell’s late fireworks gave them hope of a sensational win.
Finn Allen struck a breezy 40 at the top of the order but New Zealand were facing a heavy defeat once Siraj removed Tom Latham for the sixth wicket.
Bracewell was then joined by left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who hit 57 of 45 balls as part of an impressive 162-run partnership before falling to Siraj.
Bracewell smacked 12 fours and 10 sixes but finished on the losing side as Siraj was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4-46.
Earlier, the 23-year-old Gill helped India post a formidable total of 349-8 after an innings spanning 149 balls and featuring 19 fours and nine sixes.
India skipper Rohit Sharma was the first man out for 34 and Virat Kohli soon followed for just eight after he was bowled by Santner.
Lockie Ferguson also removed Ishan Kishan cheaply but Gill received support from Suryakumar Yadav (31) and Hardik Pandya (28) before holing out to deep mid-wicket in the final over.
Gill, the Player of the Match, said: “I was waiting eagerly to go out there and do what I wanted to do. I wanted to unleash but sometimes you don’t get to do it with wickets falling. I got to do it in the end. When the bowler is on top, you have to get them under pressure otherwise it’s easier for them to create dot balls.”
He added: “I tried to get singles and boundaries and get them under pressure. I wasn’t thinking about 200 before I hit those sixes in the 46th or 47th over. That’s when I thought I could get a double. I won’t call it a “wow” feeling but it feels nice when the ball goes off the bat how you want it. There’s certainly a feeling of satisfaction. It has sunk in pretty well, this is certainly one of those things, like what dreams are made of.”
India captain Sharma said Bracewell threatened to take the game away from India’s grasp with his daredevil batting.
“To be honest, the way Bracewell was batting, we knew it was going to be a challenge. It was such clean striking. After we had them five down, we knew we were in the game unless we slip up. And that’s what happened,” Sharma said.
“But we always knew the threat of bowling under lights and with the dew like I said at the toss, which is the kind of challenge we wanted. Watching Gill bat is fanastic, clean striking and no aerial shots.
“We wanted to give him a run before the SL series the kind of form he was in. He’s such a free-flowing batsman. Siraj has been brilliant, of late even in the other two formats.
“He’s gone from strength to strength, running hard and clear about what he wants to do. He’s not afraid to use the short ball as well which is exciting,” he added. The second ODI will be played on Saturday at Raipur.

BRIEF SCORES
India 349-8 in 50 overs (S. Gill 208, S. Yadav 31) beat New Zealand 337 all out in 49.2 overs (M. Bracewell 140, M. Santner 57; M. Siraj 4-46) by 12 runs
Series: India lead three-match series 1-0