On this day in 2002, New Zealand's Nathan Astle blasted fastest-ever Test double ton
NEW DELHI: On this day nineteen years ago, former New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle registered the fastest-ever double ton in the longest format of the game. He achieved the feat against England at the AMI Stadium in Christchurch.
Astle scored the double ton in the second innings of the match as New Zealand was set a target of 550 runs. He came out to bat in the 43rd over with New Zealand at 119/3 and blasted his way to 200 from just 153 balls.
The New Zealand batsman played his natural game right from the word go and took on the England bowlers.
Astle scored 28 boundaries and 11 sixes in his innings. He scored 222 off just 168 balls and despite the sensational knock in the second innings of the first Test in 2002, the English side clinched the game by 98 runs.
Astle played 81 Tests, 223 ODIs, and four T20Is for New Zealand. He retired from international cricket in 2007, just ahead of the 50-over World Cup in the West Indies.
However, he still remains the fastest player to reach a Test double hundred. While Ben Stokes in 2016 did come close to breaking the record, the England all-rounder ended up hitting the double century in 163 balls.
Former opener Virender Sehwag registered the fastest double ton by an Indian batsman.