IND vs NZ: Rohit Sharma-led team India penalised heavily for slow over rate

Team India has been fined 60 per cent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over rate during the first ODI against New Zealand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, January 18.

The Rohit Sharma-led side was adjudged three-overs short of their target by match referee Javagal Srinath who was officiating the game. Srinath took time allowances into consideration before imposing the amount of fine. 

Rohit, who is the skipper of the side willingly accepted the fine after it was levelled by the match officials of the game - on-field umpires Nitin Menon, Anil Chaudhary, third umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal. At times fines are handed following an official hearing but since Rohit accepted the charge willingly, there was no need for the same in this case.

India survive Michael Bracewell scare

The Rohit Sharma-led India narrowly survived a huge scare as Michael Bracewell failed to guide the Black Caps to victory in a high-scoring clash. Bracewell was able to get under the skin of almost all of the India bowlers and toyed with the field before being dismissed off an LBW appeal to Shardul Thakur.

It created a lot of headaches for Rohit 'the leader' as he spent a lot of time making various field placements and the side was therefore not able to bowl its quota of 50 overs within the stipulated time.

Bracewell scored 140 runs off just 78 balls, including 12 fours and ten sixes at a dazzling strike rate of 179.48. He took the game deep but couldn't get the visitors over the line as the Tom Latham unit fell short by just 12 runs eventually. 

Earlier in the game, the crowd at the venue witnessed absolute carnage as India opener Shubman Gill struck a heroic double century. He became the youngest double centurion in men's ODIs courtsey of his phenomenal knock. During the course of the knock, Shubman scored 19 fours and nine mammoth sixes, and batted at a strike rate of 139.59.

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