"Michael Bracewell wins the hearts on Shubman Gill's day" - Fans react to Bracewell's 140 vs IND in 1st ODI

Cricket fans hailed New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell (140 off 78 balls) for his gritty knock against India in the first ODI on Wednesday (January 18), at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Indian opener Shubman Gill's (208 off 149 balls) magnificent double-hundred set Blackcaps up for a mammoth 350 to chase in the second innings.

Finn Allen (40 off 39 balls) showed some intent in the powerplay after the dismissal of Devon Conway in the sixth over. Allen was caught by substitute fielder Shahbaz Ahmed off Shardul Thakur's bowling while mistiming the pull shot.

Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav picked up the wickets of Henry Nicholls (18) and Daryl Mitchell (9) in back-to-back overs. A solid partnership between stand-in skipper Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips was the need of the hour. Both batters, however, consumed many deliveries in the middle and added a mere 24 and 11 respectively.

Michael Bracewell walked in to bat at No. 7 in the 25th over after Mohammed Shami cleaned up Phillips. A few overs later, Latham, too, departed as New Zealand were reeling at 131 for 6 in 29 overs. It looked as if the match would wrap up very soon as Indian bowlers were hitting lines and lengths with utmost accuracy.

However, Bracewell, who was playing his first game in India, had some different plans on the cards. The left-handed batter played an aggressive counter-attacking innings to almost pull the game for the tourists.

The Kiwi scored 140 off 78 balls, his innings laced with 12 fours and 10 sixes, striking at 179.49. He was involved in a 162-run partnership with Mitchell Santner (57 off 45 balls) as the duo recorded the highest partnership for the seventh-wicket in New Zealand's ODI history.

Bracewell toyed with the line and length of the Indian bowlers, taking them to the cleaners nonchalantly. He smashed the likes of Shami, Shardul, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, and Washington Sundar.

Bracewell's act of sheer brilliance took the game to the last over where New Zealand needed 20 runs to win. He pummeled Shardul Thakur for a six over wide long-on to put the bowler under pressure.

After bowling a wide delivery, Shardul bowled a yorker at leg stump to trap the southpaw for a leg-before wicket. India won the match by 12 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

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Twitter users react to Bracewell's tremendous knock under pressure

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Shubman Gill was awarded player of the match for bailing out India from the hole with a maiden double-ton in ODI cricket. He struck 19 fours and 9 sixes in his 149-ball 208 to put India in a commanding position of 349-8 after 50 overs.