After breaking multiple List A records through a mammoth 244 for Northamptonshire in the One-Day Cup match against Somerset at the County Ground, India’s opening batter Prithvi Shaw insisted that he’s not thinking about what national selection committee back home will be thinking of his performances.
Shaw’s mammoth 244 came off just 153 balls, laced with 28 fours and 11 sixes as Northamptonshire put up a huge 415-8 and then emerged victorious by 87 runs. His knock is also the sixth-highest individual score in any List A match.
Shaw had scores of 34 and 26 in his previous two occasions for Northamptonshire. On Wednesday, 9 August, he reached his hundred in 81 deliveries before switching gears to reach his second ton in very quick time, off just 129 deliveries.
"Definitely (an) experience for sure. Not really thinking what the Indian selectors may be thinking, but I just want to have a good time here, have a good time with the players over here and the support staff. Northamptonshire have given me this opportunity. They're really looking after me. I'm really enjoying it," said Shaw after the game ended.
Shaw, who last played for India in July 2021, has also joined a select club of batters scoring multiple List A double hundreds, with India skipper Rohit Sharma, Australia’s left-handed batter Travis Head and Ali Brown its previous members.
After becoming third batter to score a List A double century in England, Shaw now has the record for the highest ever List A score by an overseas player in List A cricket and has also become the first batter to smash List A double hundreds in two countries and for two teams.
You Have To Be Lucky Sometimes: Prithvi Shaw
"The sun was out, it was kind of like Indian weather today so it was really looking good. You know when an inside edge doesn't get me out, that means this day is for me. You have to be lucky sometimes, so I think this was a day for me. I didn't look back after that,” added Shaw, who scored a Test century on debut in 2018.
Shaw’s previous double century in List A cricket came in February 2021 when he struck an unbeaten 227 for Mumbai against Puducherry, which was also the-then highest score in the tournament. During his record-breaking knock, Shaw put on a big partnership of 194 with Sam Whiteman (54) for Northamptonshire.
"The 227 was in my head to be honest. I spoke to Whitey (Whiteman) when he was there and I told him it's 227, my highest score. But it was a good team effort all around. I always try and win matches for the team and I'm the kind of a player who puts my team first and then myself. If scoring like this can help my team to win, then I should continue this," he concluded.
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