ZIM vs WI: Twitter reacts as Tagenarine Chanderpaul smashes maiden double ton on Day 3

Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kraigg Brathwaite rewrote history books on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test match between Zimbabwe and West Indies at the Queen Sports Club in Bulawayo on Monday (February 6). West Indies openers pulled of a record opening partnership with the latter scoring an unbeaten double ton to celebrate his maiden international century.

Fans witnessed only 89 overs of play in the first two days due to rain and wet outfield, but West Indies openers treated fans with some aggressive gameplay on Day 3. Resuming on 221/0, both Chanderpaul and Brathwaite continued their run-scoring touch and created history with a record partnership for the first wicket. The duo broke a 33-year old record for opening partnership in Tests for West Indies set by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

Chanderpul and Brathwaite put in 336-run partnership for the first wicket before the latter getting leg before  wicket to Wellington Masakadza. Brathwaite scored 182 off 312 to end his poor run of form but Chanderpul managed to register a maiden double ton playing in his only third Test. 

Brandon Mavuta, playing in his second Test, picked up a five-fer after Brathwaite's dismissal to get his team back in the game. West Indies declared their innings on 447/6 in 143 overs, with Chaderpaul scoring 207* off 467 with the help of 16 fours and three sixes. While Mavuta took five, Masakadza grabbed one for the hosts. 

Zimbabwe openers also started well to avoid early fall-off as the Test is leaning towards a draw. Innocent Kaia and Tanunurwa Makoni put on a 63-run stand for the opening wicket till Alzarri Joseph picked out the latter's wicket in the 27th over. 

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie dismissed Chamu Chibhabha to give West Indies another wicket. But Kaia impressed for the hosts with a maiden half-century on his Test debut on Day 3. At the end of Day 3, Zimbabwe were 114/3 in 41.4 overs with Kaia batting on 59* off 115.

Here is how Twitter is reacting to Zimbabwe vs West Indies, Test 1, Day 3 play:

Tage Chanderpaul has done what the excellent players always emphasize: when you’ve been through the cauldron of a tour like Australia, put what you’ve learnt into action and fill your boots against teams ranked lower on the ladder.

— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) February 6, 2023

Tagenarine Chanderpaul becomes the 10th West Indian cricketer to convert a maiden test century into a double hundred. Feat of a champion. Congrats young man. Your Grandfather & Father have produced another gem for international cricket using the Chanderpaul batting manual 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

— Daren Ganga (@DarenGanga) February 6, 2023

A Test fifer to remember for Brandon Mavuta 🌟@windiescricket 🌴 declared on 4⃣4⃣7⃣/6⃣ #ZIMvWI | #VisitZimbabwe | #FillUpQueensSportsClub pic.twitter.com/Pj0OJ0Qk4K

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) February 6, 2023

Hundred in Australia.
Hundred in England.
Hundred in South Africa.
Hundred in Zimbabwe.
Hundred in UAE.
Hundred in West Indies.

One of the best Test openers in this generation, Kraigg Brathwaite. pic.twitter.com/Ry12a0M6hb

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 6, 2023

Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul becomes the first opening pair to bat 100 overs in a Test innings during the 21st century.

The last pair to do it was Atapattu-Jayasuriya against Pakistan in 2000.#ZIMvWI

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) February 6, 2023

Kraigg Brathwaite and Tage Chanderpaul put on the ninth best opening stand in Test history…and then… 🤷‍♂️ #ZIMvWI pic.twitter.com/2F3ydmCkUC

— Brett Sprigg (@BrettSprigg) February 6, 2023

Tagenarine Chanderpaul becomes the first West Indies opening batter not named Kraigg Brathwaite to make a Test hundred since Chris Gayle in March 2013. Brathwaite has made 12 hundreds in that time, including one about 15 minutes ago

— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) February 5, 2023

Highest opening partnership for West Indies in Test cricket

336 - Kraigg Brathwaite - Tagenarine Chanderpaul
298 - Gordon Greenidge - Desman Haynes
276 - Sherwin Campbell - Adrian Griffith#Brathwaite #Chanderpaul #WestIndies

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) February 6, 2023

They’ve been saying that Test cricket is dying since around the time I was 3 but now when you see Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul batting full sessions, consistently, yknow there’s a lot of hope for this format

— michael bracewell’s fairy godmother 🪄 (@cricketpun_duh) February 4, 2023