Vijay Hazare Trophy: Karn Veer Kaushal slams first double ton

The in-form Kaushal, who has now three 100-plus scores from seven matches, eclipsed Ajinkya Rahane's 187 for Mumbai against Maharashtra in Pune in 2007-08

Uttarakahand opener Karn Veer Kaushal entered the record books by scoring the first double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, smashing 202 off 135 balls, to star in a 199-run rout of Sikkim in a Plate group match here on Saturday.

Karn goes past Rahane
The in-form Kaushal, who has now three 100-plus scores from seven matches, eclipsed Ajinkya Rahane's 187 for Mumbai against Maharashtra in Pune in 2007-08. In List 'A' cricket, which includes ODIs, the 200-mark has been breached six times by Indian batsmen — Rohit Sharma (thrice), Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan and Sachin Tendulkar one each. But this is for the first time it has happened in the country's domestic circuit.

Kaushal also shattered the record for the highest opening stand in List 'A' cricket in India when he along with his opening partner, Vineet Saxena (100 runs of 133 balls), put on 296 runs to lay the foundation for Uttarakhand's 366 for two in 50 overs.

That huge partnership
Shikhar Dhawan and Aakash Chopra had put on an unbeaten 277 for Delhi versus Punjab in 2007-08 in the previous highest opening stand. "I felt very nice when I completed it, but I didn't know then that it was a record.

I never expected it," Kaushal, 27 said. "Only when I was about 30 runs short, I said to myself 'Okay, I can try for a double-century'. I got to know that I was the first one to score a double-century after I came back to the dressing room."

Amazing strike rate
Kaushal, who debuted against Bihar in this tournament, smashed 18 fours and nine sixes in a strike rate of 149.63 on the way to his third 100-plus score — the most in the tournament so far. Kaushal's first century (101) was against Puducherry, while in the last match he scored 118 versus Mizoram.

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