Ishan Kishan smashes fastest ODI double ton, India end at 409/8

PTI, Dec 10, 2022, 4:16 PM IST

AP photo

Displaying insane power-hitting, Ishan Kishan smashed the fastest double-century in the history of ODI cricket — a mind-boggling 210 off 131 balls — and propelled India to 409 for eight against Bangladesh in the third game on Saturday.

While also becoming the youngest to get a double, Kishan overshadowed Virat Kohli’s 91-ball 113, as India took Bangladesh bowlers to the cleaners in the final game of the three-match series.

Opening the batting in the absence of injured skipper Rohit Sharma, the 24-year-old left-hander grabbed the opportunity with both hands, and reached the double hundred in 126 balls, quicker than anyone else in this format.

The West Indies’ Chris Gayle held the previous record with his 138-ball double ton against Zimbabwe in 2015.

This was India’s fourth highest ODI total, even as the run-rate slowed down after the departure of Kishan and Kohli.

From 339/3 in 40 overs, India managed just 70 runs in the last 10 overs while losing five wickets.

Having completed his maiden ODI century in 85 balls, Kishan batted in T20 mode as records kept on tumbling. That 156 of his runs came in sixes and boundaries (10×6, 24×4) tells a lot about the relentless assault he’d unleashed on the Bangladeshi bowlers.

Also, the Jharkhand batter became the fourth Indian, and seventh overall, to reach the milestone when he scored a single off Mustafizur Rahman in the 35th over.

At the other end, Kohli was at his sublime best en route to his 44th ODI century, and 72nd overall, as the duo bossed the innings with a 290-run partnership off just 190 balls.

Having scored his maiden T20I hundred earlier this year, against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, Kohli recorded his first ODI ton in more than three years.

In a reminder of the famous six off Haris Rauf in the T20 World Cup, he picked a back-of-a-length delivery from Ebadot Hossain for a six to reach his century in 86 balls.

Having already conceded the three-match series after losing the first two ODIs following ordinary batting, India under KL Rahul brought in Kishan to open with the struggling Shikhar Dhawan.

Their opening partnership lasted 4.1 overs as Mehidy Hasan trapped Dhawan lbw for three. The off-spinner nearly had Kohli when he drove straight to short midwicket, but skipper Litton Das dropped him on six.

Thereafter, it was a one-way traffic for India as Kishan smashed the Bangladesh bowling with his explosive batting.

Dealing mostly in boundaries, the diminutive batter relished the short-pitched stuff and looked in total control on both sides of the wicket.

Kohli performed the bhangra before hugging the youngster after he reached his double century.