Inspired by Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami inspired India overcame a valiant New Zealand fightback to enter the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final on home soil.
India beat New Zealand by 70 runs after setting a target of 398 in the first semifinal in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The result seemed a formality when, backed by a partisan home crowd at the Wankhede Stadium, India pegged back New Zealand’s stiff chase by dismissing both their openers for 39 runs in the eighth over.
However, Daryl Mitchell struck a hard-fought blistering century to lead New Zealand’s fightback along with his captain Kane Williamson, who scored 69 runs in a 181-run partnership.
But India, banking on the cushion of a huge total, opened the gates of the New Zealand batting with the wicket of Glenn Phillips and all-but-sealed the win with Mitchell’s dismissal in the 46th over.
Pace bowler Shami took seven wickets to make up for dropping Williamson’s catch earlier on.
Earlier, India’s Virat Kohli struck a record 50th hundred in one-dayers to power the unbeaten hosts to 397 for four wickets against New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
Kohli’s knock of 117, which came off 113 balls, gave him the record for the highest number of centuries in the 50-overs format of the game, taking him past Sachin Tendulkar with the Indian batting great present in the stands to applaud.
After scampering for two runs off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson to get to his mark, Kohli took off his helmet and bowed to the stands where television cameras showed Tendulkar and former England soccer captain David Beckham standing and clapping in appreciation.—AFP
