Shreyas Iyer, Ross Taylor Smash Hundreds in IND vs NZ 1st ODI Match, Register Rare Feat in One-Day Internationals

Shreyas Iyer smashed his maiden ODI hundred to help India post 347 runs on board but it all went in vain with Ross Taylor guiding New Zealand home with an unbeaten 109 in the 1st IND vs NZ ODI match at Hamilton on February 05, 2020 (Wednesday). Iyer, who came to bat at the contentious No 4 batting position for India with the visitors struggling at 54/2, hit his first ODI century and was involved in century-run partnerships with Virat Kohli and KL Rahul to set up a massive target for the hosts. Taylor came to the crease at the same batting order, albeit with his side in a little better position at 109/2, and score his 21st century to eventually carry his side home in a high-scoring encounter. But while Taylor prevailed at Hamilton cancelling Iyer’s brilliant maiden ODI ton, both Taylor and Iyer combined to script a rare record in ODI cricket. Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls Help Black Caps Ace Thrilling Chase Against Men in Blue at Seddon Park.

Interestingly, both Iyer and Taylor came to bat at the no 4 position and both hit hundreds making this only the third instance in ODI cricket when both number 4 batsmen have struck centuries for their respective teams in the same match. Taylor, however, did one better and remained not-out making him only second batsmen in this elite list who managed to carry his bat through the innings. Take a look at the complete list of batsmen who have managed to script this rare feat in ODI cricket.  Virat Kohli's Sensational Fielding Results in Henry Nicholls' Run Out During India vs New Zealand 1st ODI 2020 (Watch Video).

Instances of Two No 4s Scoring Centuries in Same Match

The first of such instances came in 2007 when South Africa’s AB de Villiers and Zimbabwe’s Tatenda Taibu struck hundreds batting in the same position for their respective teams. The next of such an instance came almost 10 years later in 2017 when Yuvraj Singh and Eoin Morgan repeated the feat in an India vs England ODI match in Cuttack. On both the occasions, teams that batted first went on to win the game. At Hamilton, Shreyas Iyer and Ross Taylor rescripted the feat with both the Indian No 4 and the Kiwi No 4 scoring centuries.

Iyer, who batted first, scored 103 from 107 deliveries with the help of 11 boundaries and a maximum. His scored helped India post 347/4 on board. But New Zealand chased it down with 11 deliveries and four wickets in hand with Taylor top-scoring for the hosts with an unbeaten 109 from 84 deliveries, which comprised of 10 boundaries and 4 maximums including a gigantic 96m six at the tip of the park.

Meanwhile, Iyer despite the defeat will be a relieved man having become the first Indian in sixteen months to have scored a hundred batting in the No 4 position. The last Indian before the 24-year-old was Ambati Rayudu on October 29, 2018, when he did so against the West Indies batting in the same position.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 05, 2020 06:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).