New Delhi: Even though the New Zealand (IND v NZ) team may not have won the first ODI against India, all-rounder Michael Bracewell won everyone’s heart with his game. Bracewell played a brilliant century in difficult times. He took the team to the edge of victory but in the end, the Kiwi team lost the game. In front of India’s mountainous target, the fierce batters of the Kiwi team kept losing wickets one after the other but Bracewell did not give up till the end. In times of crisis, he stood at one end with a peg. This is not the first time that this talented player has played the role of ‘troubleshooter’, but even before this, he has played big innings in difficult situations.
In the first ODI played at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, India had set a target of 350 runs in front of the visiting Kiwi team. The Kiwi team, led by Tom Latham, was looking in trouble after losing the wickets of its 6 key batsmen at a total score of 131. The visiting team was in danger of losing by a big margin. But after this, Bracewell played such a brilliant inning at number seven, seeing which everyone was forced to press his finger under his teeth.
Bracewell scored a century off 57 balls
The 31-year-old Bracewell scored 140 off 78 balls with the help of 12 fours and 10 sixes. This batter completed his century in 57 balls. He became the third New Zealand batsman to score the fastest century in ODIs. This was the second century of Bracewell’s ODI career. Bracewell shared an important partnership of 162 runs with Mitchell Santner. Santner played an inning of 57 runs in 45 balls. Bracewell equaled the special record of MS Dhoni after a stormy century. Dhoni also scored a century in ODI cricket twice while playing at number 7 or lower order.
Michael Bracewell gave a memorable victory against Ireland
Michael Bracewell, who made his debut in all three formats of cricket for New Zealand last year, did not appear in the role of a troubleshooter for the first time, but before that, he also played a brilliant inning against Ireland. However, at that time he gave the team a bang victory with his best century innings. Then the Kiwi team lost their 5 wickets at 120 while chasing 301 runs. After this, Bracewell gave the Kiwi team a memorable victory by playing an unbeaten 127 off 82 balls. In such a situation, what kind of batting is done in a moment of pressure, one should learn from Michael Bracewell.
