In a thrilling game on Wednesday at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Team India overcame New Zealand by 12 runs. The Men in Blue were able to score 349/8 in 50 overs thanks to Shubman Gill’s double century (208 off 149 balls). In response, the Kiwis were in trouble at 131/6 in 28.4 overs, but a 162-run partnership between all-rounders Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner for the seventh wicket saw the visitors turn the tide. If they kept wickets, New Zealand could still reach the goal at 293/7 in 45.4 overs. The game was decided by Bracewell’s quickfire 140 off 78 balls. India won after trapping Bracewell with one wicket left and the visitors requiring 20 runs off the last over.
As he blasted his second ODI century, Bracewell unleashed a blitzkrieg that comprised ten sixes and twelve fours. The New Zealand batsman’s blinder tied MS Dhoni’s record for being the only ODI batsman to score more than 100 runs from No. 7 or below. Additionally, Bracewell achieved the distinction of being the joint-third-highest run scorer in ODIs at the No. 7 or below position. In men’s ODIs, only Australian Marcus Stoinis and fellow countryman Luke Ronchi have received scores from No. 7 or below.