Gill's 117-ball double century powers India to a 406 chase, the first 400-plus pursuit in ODIs since 2006

For twenty years, through financial crashes, a pandemic and the arrival of generative AI, nobody in one-day international cricket chased down a target of more than 400. On Wednesday night in Guwahati, India did, and they made it look almost easy.

Chasing 406 against West Indies at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, India won by eight wickets. Shubman Gill finished unbeaten on 223 off 133 balls, with 26 fours and eight sixes. Rohit Sharma made 101 off 75 balls. The win gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The previous successful 400-plus chase in ODIs came in March 2006.

The fastest double

Gill reached his hundred, his 11th in ODIs, off 62 balls. He then went on to complete what The Hindu reported as the fastest double century in ODI history, off 117 balls.

It was an innings of control as much as power. Gill used his wrists to work the ball through the leg side and cut late past backward point, and he repeatedly came down the pitch to the spinner Roston Chase and the seamer Keemo Paul, lifting them over square leg and cow corner. Even fast short-pitched bowling offered no escape: a 141.3 kph delivery from Alzarri Joseph was pulled into the stands with his trademark short-arm jab.

Gill and Rohit put on 255 for the first wicket, the second-highest opening partnership for India in ODIs. Rohit's century, made at better than a run a ball, was a study in economy of movement: small adjustments of the feet and weight, and the ball sent where he wanted it.

West Indies' three centuries were not enough

The visitors had every reason to think 405 for seven was a winning total. Three of their batters made hundreds. Opener John Campbell, who fell short of three figures in the first ODI with 62, hit 101 off 68 balls with nine fours and five sixes. Captain Shai Hope scored 104 off 94, and Amir Jangoo made 114 off just 77 balls with 13 fours.

On most nights, three centuries and a score above 400 would settle a one-day match. On this one, India's openers simply batted the target into irrelevance.

What it means

The result settles the series with a game to spare and gives India's selectors a welcome headache about their top order. For Gill, the remarkable has become routine. Hundreds now arrive so regularly that it is easy to forget how rare an innings like this one is.

The third and final ODI completes the series.