Gill, chill, thrill and win

HYDERABAD:  Shubman Gill smashed Sachin Tendulkar’s Hyderabad record with a dashing double-century and warmed the hearts of cricket fans on a cold Wednesday. The Indian opener cashed on a couple of chances to thump a jaw-dropping 208 that surpassed Tendulkar’s 175 against Australia at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in a One-Day International match, back in
2009.

Gill’s entertaining knock fashioned India’s 12-run win over New Zealand in the opening game of the three-match series. The 23-year-old also became the youngest in the world to score a double ton, beating 24-year-old teammate Ishan Kishan, who had hit 210 against Bangladesh last month.

Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj added local flavour to the win by striking a double blow just when the Kiwis were threatening to pull off the impossible, with a 162-run stand for the seventh wicket between Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner, who scored 140 and 57, respectively, before the visitors were all out for 337 in the last over while chasing India’s 349. Siraj’s
bowling figures read an impressive 4 for 46 and triggered a sigh of relief to the fans who were on the edges of their seats as the thriller wound down. Then they partied late into the night.