A packed stadium bore witness to an extraordinary display of batting on Wednesday, as Shubman Gill smashed an unbeaten 223 off just 133 deliveries, guiding India to an eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second One-Day International of the series. Gill's innings not only marked his personal best in ODIs but also set a new benchmark for the highest individual score ever achieved in a run‑chase. It was his eleventh century in the format, one of five hundreds recorded that day, and helped India compile a formidable total of 406 for 2 in just 43.3 overs, securing a 2‑0 lead in the three‑match series.
Opening partner Rohit Sharma contributed a swift century of 101, and together the pair forged a 255‑run partnership off 158 balls – the second‑largest opening stand for India in ODI history. Their partnership was only outdone by the 258‑run opening stand between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly against Kenya in Paarl back in 2001. The massive opening stand laid the foundation for what would become the second successful 400‑plus chase in ODI annals, following South Africa's record 438‑9 against Australia in 2006. The West Indies, however, had their own fireworks.
For the first time in ODI history, three West Indian batsmen reached three‑figure scores in a single innings. Amir Jangoo topped the chart with 114, captain Shai Hope added 104, and opening batsman John Campbell set the tempo early on with a rapid 101 off just 68 balls. Their collective effort propelled the visitors to 405 for 7, marking the West Indies' inaugural 400‑plus total in the one‑day format. Despite the daunting target, Gill and Sharma steered India home with 6.3 overs to spare.
Their chase of 406 eclipsed India's previous best of 362‑1 against Australia in Jaipur in 2013, establishing a new national record for the highest successful run‑chase. Gill's second fifty came in a blistering 24 balls, and he reached his century in just 62 deliveries.
Sharma, meanwhile, recorded his 35th ODI century off 72 balls before falling lbw to Jayden Seales in the 27th over. Gill's innings continued to dominate after Sharma's dismissal. He reached a second ODI double hundred off 117 balls, becoming the fastest double century ever recorded in an ODI.
This feat also surpassed Glenn Maxwell's 201 against Afghanistan in Mumbai in 2023, making Gill's 223 the highest score ever chased in an ODI and the third‑highest individual score in the format overall. Reflecting on his marathon knock, Gill said, "It was a hot and humid day. With 400 on the board, there was pressure at the start and then at the halfway mark. I am very pleased I could stay till the end and finish this innings.
I try to break my innings into smaller parts. Once we scored 200‑odd before 25 overs, the pressure was on them." His methodical approach, breaking the chase into manageable phases, proved decisive as the Indian side maintained composure under the weight of a massive target. On the West Indian side, Campbell's aggressive start featured five sixes and nine fours, helping the team post 96‑1 in the powerplay despite the absence of injured fast bowler Justin Greaves.
Campbell reached his second ODI century in just 65 balls, while his partnership with Hope added 110 runs off 79 balls. Hope, capitalising on the batting conditions, recorded his twentieth ODI hundred. Jangoo, building on a half‑century from the first match, struck his own hundred off 70 balls, hitting three sixes and thirteen fours, and the West Indies amassed 76 runs in the final ten overs.
The match marked a historic first: five centuries in a single ODI. It was also the eleventh occasion where a side recorded three individual centuries in an innings, but uniquely, it was the first time that such a feat ended in defeat. The series will conclude with the final ODI in Chandigarh on Saturday, after India secured the opening game by seven wickets in Thiruvananthapuram.
In other news, Australia avoided a clean‑sweep by South Africa in their three‑match series, clinching a rain‑affected third ODI by 45 runs via the DLS method. South Africa, having already secured series victory with wins in Durban and Johannesburg, were 145‑4 after 28 overs when rain halted play at 9.30 pm local time.
Earlier in that match, Australia posted 322‑9, bolstered by captain Mitchell Marsh's third consecutive half‑century and Alex Carey's 74 off 88 balls. Fast bowler Xavier Bartlett shone with the new ball, while leg‑spinner Adam Zampa kept a tight line, each claiming two wickets. South Africa's Corbin Bosch made a late‑innings impact, taking wickets of Carey and Cameron Green, but the effort fell short. All‑rounder Zampa finished with figures of 4‑60, while teammates Gerald Coetzee and Lizaad Williams each added two wickets to the tally.