Washington Sundar breaks Suresh Raina's long-standing record with his unbeaten 37 in 1st ODI vs NZ

India is taking on New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at Eden Park, Auckland. It was Kane Williamson who won the toss and decided to bowl first. India got off to a fast start, with both openers contributing 100+ runs together.

Both Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill added 124 runs for the opening stand and also scored their respective fifties. Gill made his 4th ODI half-century and scored 50 off 65, while Dhawan made his 39th ODI fifty and scored 72 off 77 balls.

After the first-wicket partnership was broken, India lost another three wickets quickly. But then, Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson added a 94-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take India past the 250-run mark. Samson got out for 36 off 38, which brought spin all-rounder Washington Sundar onto the crease.

Then he, along with Iyer, started playing some shots. Iyer maintained his ODI form, scoring his 13th ODI half-century and sixth 50-plus score in the last eight ODIs before being dismissed for 80 runs off 76 balls.

But in the end, it was the cameo from Sundar that helped India pass the 300-run mark. At one time, India was looking to get to 280 runs. But Sundar played some really good knock and made an unbeaten 37 runs off just 16 balls, with three boundaries and three sixes.

Sundar's blistering cameo also broke the long-standing record of former Indian star Suresh Raina for the fastest 30-plus score by an Indian on New Zealand soil. Raina batted for 19 balls and 38 runs in the third ODI in 2009, with a strike rate of 211.11.

While Sundar also went past the legendary Indian all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev's record of 206.25 strike rate in 1992.

After his knock, Sundar said, "It really worked today, it was great to get some runs. I have to let my instincts go through, I also plans my shots, there's a program. It's important to get the timing right, along with the power."