CWC 2023 first Semi Final between India and New Zealand Played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India on 15 November 2023
India 397/4 (Virat Kohli 117, Shreyas Iyer 105, Shubman Gill 80, Rohit Sharma 47, KL Rahul 39*, Tim Southee 3/100)
New Zealand 327 All Out in 48.5 Overs (Daryl Mitchell 134, Ken Williamson 69, Glen Philips 41, Mohammad Shami 7/57. Kuldeep Yadav 1/56, Jasprit Bumrah 1/64, Mohammad Seraj 1/73)
India Won by 70
Player of the Match: Mohammad Shami (7/57)
Achieving yet another comprehensive win by 70 runs all guns blazing team India stormed into the final of CWC 2023 on Wednesday playing at Wankhede Stadium Mumbai against New Zealand. Batting first on a used wicket, a bit sluggish at times but otherwise flat deck Indian batsmen making merry posted huge 397/4. New Zealand appeared in the hunt at some stages. But Kwi wings getting burnt in Mohammad Shami (7/57) fire had them all out for 327. India winning huge and handsome by 70 runs moved into the final.
Still unbeaten after playing 10 matches in the tournament and winning all matches comfortably India was not required creating any controversy over choice of wicket. The match was set to be played on unused wicket number 7. This is a normal practice of a knockout match. But on the request of team India the match was shifted to wicket number 6 where two matches of the tournament have been played earlier. South Africa beat England by 229 runs. India trounced Sri Lanka by 302 runs. India in prolific all-round form could very well do without it.
Rohit was lucky with the coin and almost instantly opted to bat in a manner as if the script was written earlier. Rohit himself led the charge with a blistering 47 in 29 deliveries striking 4 fours and 4 sixes. The first wicket partnership with Shubman Gill yielding 71 runs set the tone. Gill with Kohli kept the momentum going till Gill still having the impacts of Dengue fever he had suffered retired hurt after scoring impressive 80 runs off 66 deliveries.
Indian legend Virat Kohli kept marching on. His 113 balls 117 set many milestones. In the home city of his cricket idol Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar in his very presence Kohli broke the 49 ODI centuries of the maestro. Few other records like Sachin’s highest single CWC runs record of 673 in 2003 World Cup was outscored as Kohli tally reached 711. He has opportunity for extending it further in the final. Kohli scoring as many as eight 50 plus score in this world cup surpassed seven fifty plus scores of Sachin in 2003 and that of Bangladesh All Rounder Shakib Al Hasan in 2019. Virat scoring 5 consecutives 50 plus scores in this world cup also eclipsed Sacin’s score of 4 scores of 50 plus in 1996 and 2003 world cup. All these happened when Sachin was standing and applauding from the terrace.
The wicket in the first half had very little for the bowlers. All Indian batsmen however, clinically executed their plans. Apart from Virat, Shubman and Rohit, Shreyas Iyer was sublime in his innings of 66 balls 105 the third fastest in World Cup. All three have been scored in CWC 2023. All Black Caps bowlers struggled. Tim Southee taking 3/100 was the only bowler getting some success.
The nature of the wicket changed a bit when New Zealand started the chase. Brilliant Shami striking two early blows removed Devon Conway (13) and Rachin Ravindra (13). Black Cap captain courageous Ken Williamson (69) and Daryl Mitchel (134) batting wonderfully well-kept Kiwis in the hunt with a dynamic 3rd wicket partnership of 181 before Shami returning to the attack removed Williamson. This proved to be turning point. Mitchel and Philips sharing a 5th wicket partnership of 75 created some worries for a while. But again, Shami proved too hot to handle on the day. Despite of the brave efforts of Mitchel scoring 134 in 119 balls Black Caps fell short by 70 runs. Black caps create stronger challenge if Glen Philips innings of 41 was extended and if Indian Innings earlier was restricted to 350. Shami was outstanding on the day taking 7/57, the feat deservedly earned him player of the match award.
This was the last World Cup appearance for great players like Kane Williamson, Tim Southee. Black caps could breadth freely as brilliant new players like Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchel have appeared to carry the button. India on the other hand looks unstoppable. They appeared to have all ends covered. It will be required an out of the world performance by either Australia or South Africa to deprive Team India winning their third World Cup on 19 November at Iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
BDST: 0726 HRS, NOV 16, 2023
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