IND VS NZ - 1st ODI, New Zealand tour of India, 2023

What a start to the series! India would have expected NZ to come out all guns blazing even without Williamson and Southee, and the hosts weren't disappointed. Rather they were nearly shocked. A magnificent game of cricket all-round. Gill's double ton setting up the day and then the near-heist from Professor Bracewell but he was denied at the last step. In the larger picture, this is just a normal ODI game but those who witnessed this will know how thrilling it was till the end. India are 1-0 up but this kind of game sets up the series beautifully. It's a wrap for tonight though. Until next time, this is Hari Sadanandan signing off on behalf of MS Ramakrishnan, Abhinand Raghavendran and Siva. Cheers!

Shubman Gill | Player of the Match: I was waiting eagerly to go out and do what I want to do. With wickets falling, at times I wanted to unleash and I'm glad I could do it at the end. Sometimes when the bowler is on top, you need to make them feel pressure. Need to avoid dot balls, show some intent and hit hard into the gaps. Which is what I was doing. Wasn't really thinking of 200, but once I hit sixes in the 47th over, I did feel that I could. Before that, I was playing what was coming to me. He (Kishan) is one of my best mates. I was there when he scored his ODI double hundred and it was special. It feels nice when you are wanting to do something and it is coming off on a regular basis. Definitely a sense of satisfaction. It (double ton) has sunk in pretty well. Game went much more closer than I expected.

Rohit Sharma | India captain: To be honest, the way he (Bracewell) was batting and the way it came on to the bat nicely, it was clean ball-striking. We knew that if we bowled well, we would be okay unless we really slipped up with the ball. Unfortunately, that's what happened. I did say at the toss that I'd like to see us challenge ourselves, not quite the situation I expected but that's how it is. He (Gill) is going really well. The form he was in, we wanted to make use of it and that's why we backed him in the SL series. Free-flowing batter and it's quite exciting to watch. Siraj has been brilliant, not just in this game but in the red-ball, T20 format and now ODIs. Really good to see what he does with the ball. Executing what he wants to do and he is very clear about his plans. Which is how it should be.

Tom Latham | New Zealand captain: It was an amazing innings (from Bracewell). From 131/6, to come and play an innings like that, for him to put our team in a situation to win the game, it's outstanding. Obviously disappointing we couldn't get across the line but it was special. When you're chasing and coming at a pressure situation, to give us a chance to win that game was special. I think it probably gripped a bit more under lights, India used a lot more cutters into the wicket and it worked. Bracewell batted well and his partnership with Santner was very good to see.

STAT: Highest individual score batting #7 or below in ODIs
170* Luke Ronchi vs SL Dunedin 2015
146* Marcus Stoinis vs NZ Auckland 2017
140 Thisara Perera vs NZ Mt Maunganui 2019
140 Michael Bracewell vs Ind Hyderabad 2023

206 runs added by New Zealand after the fall of sixth wicket is the joint second most in an ODI behind 217 runs by Australia vs New Zealand in Auckland in 2017 (67/6 to 280)

(2/2) The Bracewell-Santner stand added 162 off just 102 balls and suddenly, Rohit and co were feeling the heat. The duo took the game deep, into T20 territory and despite Santner's dismissal, Bracewell kept going. Thankfully for India, he ran out of partners and that massive 46th over bowled by Siraj is what arguably takes the cake. He removed Santner and Shipley off successive deliveries, and that really robbed Bracewell of some invaluable support. That said, with 20 needed off 6 balls, Bracewell still believed, smashing Shardul for a six first ball but the pacer had the last laugh to seal the deal. Amazing game of cricket really.

21:51 Local Time, 16:21 GMT, 21:51 IST: (1/2) Jubilant reactions from the Indians as they see the giant screen flash OUT but quite sure they are more relieved than happy right now. This game had no business getting this close. Certainly not once NZ fell to 131/6 in the 28th over. A surrender looked inevitable, so much so that a lot of the crowd even started to leave. But what happened after that was carnage. Epic carnage. With a nothing-to-lose situation, Bracewell counterattacked, and found good support from Santner as the duo started peeling off boundary after boundary. The former was the aggressor of course, as he put the bowlers to the sword, making them sweat and tense throughout.

Thakur to M Bracewell, out Lbw!! Shardul holds his nerve and India get out of jail! Terrific delivery under pressure, saw Bracewell shuffling across and nailed the leg stump yorker to perfection. Nothing much the left-hander could have done about it. Tried to work it away, missed and that was dead plumb in real time itself. Ump obliged the LBW appeal and the review was just to delay the inevitable really. India go 1-0 up!! Terrific start to the series. M Bracewell lbw b Thakur 140(78) [4s-12 6s-10]

Thakur to M Bracewell, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

Shardul has done it! He has Bracewell plumb LBW. The Kiwi will review, of course, but this looks dead plumb. Unless there is bat and there isn't any. Flat Line on UltraEdge and it has to be Three Reds. It is!

Thakur to M Bracewell, wide, pressure on Shardul! Slower ball outside off, bouncer attempt and it's too high. 13 off 5!

Thakur to M Bracewell, SIX, six first ball! If this doesn't set up the over, what will? Oh Bracewell you champ! Slower short ball, he sits back and pummels over wide long-on with a meaty pull. 14 from 5 needed!

Shardul Thakur [7.0-0-47-1] is back into the attack

vs Ire in Dublin last year Bracewell scored 20 off last over in a run chase with only wicket standing.
Same equation today

Hardik Pandya to M Bracewell, 1 run, slower and short around off, Bracewell stays back and pulls to deep mid-wicket

Hardik Pandya to M Bracewell, no run, full and outside off, Bracewell drills it down to long-off. Refuses the single. Clearly, he wants one big hit

Hardik Pandya to Tickner, 1 run, shorter and wider outside off, cut hard to backward point where Kohli makes a superb diving stop. Can't prevent the single though

Blair Tickner, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Animated discussion between Hardik and Rohit. Neither seem happy with the other's idea but in the end, Rohit probably tells his bowler to do what he wants. Three balls left, key for India is to keep Bracewell off-strike.