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BANGLADESH – Shubman Gill and Michael Bracewell applauded one another as they waited for the final DRS review of the game, which was only a formality. They had pitched beautifully to set up a contemporary classic. Before Bracewell used a spectacular 140 off 78 balls to turn a 350-run chase from 130 for 6 into a contest, Gill became the youngest double-century player in ODI history. Finally, with four balls remaining, New Zealand lost their final wicket and were two sixes away from tying the scores (Bracewell had already struck 10).
After the batter who took his place while he rested scored a double-hundred, raising doubts about Gill’s position in India’s ODI lineup, he responded with one of his own after scoring 70, 21 and 116 in his first three innings since his return.
India got off to a fast start thanks to Rohit and Gill, but wickets started to fall once Santner started to put together tight overs. To engage in some bowling, Rohit skied an intended strike toward the floor. Virat Kohli’s bat was quickly bypassed by the first ball that decided the game when it struck the top of off. New Zealand had rejoined the game thanks to Santner.
But Gill was gorgeous. His dismissive pulls, extra-cover drive, and back-foot punch were all on display. Gill tried to take spin down right away, which was a refreshing change from how India typically plays in these circumstances. The first time he tried, Tom Latham dropped the ball after getting an outside edge off a non-turning Bracewell offbreak. Gill refused to give in. To get 52 off 52 in the same over, the slog-sweep a six.
New Zealand had to deal with Mohammed Shami and Siraj in scorching form rather than hoping for the ball to slip under lights, dew, or both. With the new ball, Siraj has been emphasizing his outswingers, but the match’s shorter-than-usual swing window was a setback. In his third over, Siraj went wobble-seam. He first used the seam movement to defeat Devon Conway before putting Conway to the test. On his own turf, Siraj claimed his first international wicket thanks to the quick bouncer’s top edge to fine leg.
Shami doesn’t need to use these wobbly seam techniques because his seam is always vertical. The two quicks combined to bowl 23 balls without a run at one point, which made things difficult for the top three New Zealanders. They were relieved when Finn Allen pulled Pandya for three fours and a six in the eleventh over, resulting from a left-hand injury to Shami.
But Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep immediately fell behind New Zealand. To catch him at deep midwicket, Thakur charged Allen, who was then bounced. The batters failed to read Kuldeep out of his hand, leaving them for dead. Daryl Mitchell returned to a swift but full stock ball after Henry Nicholls was out for a wrong-ball wicket. Kuldeep and Thakur jointly bowled 11 consecutive overs for 42 runs and three wickets.
Soon enough, India was defending under lights, which was the pressure they desired. Bracewell took out every bowler by hitting a boundary every 3.5 balls. India started to err. They failed when they tried bowling broad lines. The ball skidded when they attempted hard lengths, allowing Bracewell to hit the ground.
India put all hands-on deck as soon as Santner started to succeed as well. With 103 needed off 10 overs, Siraj, Shami, and Pandya were left to contain New Zealand. Shami was struck by Bracewell and Santner in the following over, despite Siraj’s 42nd over being without a boundary. In the 45th over, Pandya made a comeback with bowling a combination of lengths and pace. Siraj then delivered his final over and took two wickets: Henry Shipley bowled, and Santner was on the hook.
Bracewell continued to envision four successful connections, the first of which came off the opening ball of the final over, a length ball. However, Bracewell eventually being trapped by a Thakur yorker as he attempted to scoot across and ramp it fine.
