Stats: New Zealand's Michael Bracewell makes record for scoring most runs in 50th over in ODI run-chase

New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell, who was playing his third ODI innings, slammed the most runs in the 50^th over in ODI cricket’s history. Chasing 301 and with 20 runs needed off the final over, Bracewell stunned with his assault by hammering 24 runs to win the first of the three-match ODI series against Ireland at The Village in Dublin. The left-handed batter tonked four, four, six, four, and a six in the first five deliveries to seal a sensational win for the Blackcaps by a margin of just one wicket.

Ireland’s right-arm medium pace bowler Craig Young became the victim of Bracewell’s fireworks as he finished his spell for 1/78 in 9.5 overs. In the process, the 31-year-old Bracewell brought up his maiden century in the 50-overs format in just his fourth match for New Zealand. He struck an unbeaten 127 off just 82, including ten fours and seven maximums, to claim the unlikeliest victory for the Kiwis. The visitors looked dead and buried in the run-chase when they found themselves in trouble at 153/6 in 29.5 overs.

Opener Martin Guptill scored 51 off 61 while the rest of the Kiwi batting line-up struggled against the Irish. Debutant Glenn Phillips mustered 38 but with his wicket in the 30^th over, the tourists looked fairly out of the contest. But Bracewell had other ideas as firstly he stitched a 61-run partnership with Ish Sodhi and then went bang-bang on his own. Tom Latham and his men needed 101 off the last ten overs, and Bracewell single-handedly hammered 86 off just 36 in those overs.

Most runs in 50^th over in an ODI run-chase

Bracewell’s 127 is also the highest score by a Blackcaps player batting at No. 7 while chasing in an ODI. He surpassed Brendon McCullum’s spectacular innings of 86* off 91 from yet another high-scoring run-chase against Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in 2007. McCullum’s knock helped the Kiwis clean sweeping their Trans-Tasman rivals 3-0 in the series.

Speaking of the Ireland match, New Zealand also scripted the most target runs (20) chased down successfully in the 50^th over of an ODI. The previous best was 18 runs by England against Australia in 1987 and also 18 runs by West Indies against New Zealand in the year 2002.

The Blackcaps scripted the third-most target runs (101) chased successfully in the last 10 overs in an ODI since 2001. With this thrilling victory, New Zealand kept their winning record intact against the Irish.