Kohli with 50 ODI centuries and Shami (7/57) guide India to final

Virat Kohli yesterday celebrates the 50th century in ODI beating the 49 centuries record held by great Sachin Tendulkar

• Batting records tumble as gallant New Zealand crash out

India’s captain Rohit Sharma celebrates with teammate and man of the match Mohammed Shami after winning the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) first semi-final match between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 15 November, Shami took India’s best ever ODI bowling performance with 7 for 57 - AFP

MUMBAI: Batting records continued to tumble as India inexorably moved towards another Cricket World Cup final defeating New Zealand by 70 runs in the first semi-final played to a packed house at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium yesterday where a total of 724 runs were scored.

India gave an exceptional batting exhibition running up an imposing total of 397-4 scored courtesy of Virat Kohli’s 50th ODI century and Shreyas Iyer’s back-to-back hundreds, proved too much for the spirited Black Caps who put up a fighting display through a courageous century from Darryl Mitchell (134 off 119 balls, 9 fours, 7 sixes) to reply with 327. It was India’s tenth successive win in the tournament. 

India will have to await today’s second semi-final between Australia and South Africa to find who their opponents will be in the final at Ahmedabad on Sunday 19 November. It was not plain easy for India against a combative New Zealand side who at one time threatened to take the game away from them during the third wicket partnership of 181 between Mitchell and skipper Kane Williamson (69 off 73 balls, 9 fours, 1 six). India’s bowling which hadn’t been tested at all in this tournament was put under severe pressure during this stand. And it was their resilience that saw them fight back and regain control of the game.

Mohammed Shami who spilled Williamson at 52, compensated for that lapse with a brilliant spell of bowling picking up wickets at crucial stages to end with career best figures of 7/57, his third five-fer in the current tournament. He also went past 50 wickets in World Cups, and became the highest wicket-taker moving past Adam Zampa with 23 wickets.   

From the moment Rohit Sharma won the toss it was all India as the captain set the pace with a pulsating 47 off 29 balls inclusive of four fours and four sixes that took him past West Indian Chris Gayle’s record of 49 sixes in World Cups. Sharma and his partner Shubman Gill put on an opening stand of 71 off 50 balls. Gill however had to leave the field with his score on 79 when the Mumbai heat got the better of him. His departure brought Iyer to the middle to join Kohli.

The pair joined hands to stitch a mammoth partnership of 163 that was to lay the foundation for India’s final total. They scored boundaries at regular intervals and kept the momentum going with both of them notching up their respective tons.

Playing in front of his idol Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli went onto reach his 50th ODI century (117 off 113 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes) surpassing Tendulkar’s 49 at the same venue where he carried the great man on his shoulder after the 2011 World Cup triumph. Kohli also went past Tendulkar’s aggregate of 673 runs in 2003 for the most runs in a single World Cup. And all this was achieved in the presence of his wife and family. He received a standing ovation after he was dismissed.  Iyer went on to play a terrific innings. He got to his hundred off 67 balls making it the fastest in a World Cup knockout surpassing Adam Gilchrist’s 72 balls in the 2007 final against Sri Lanka. With splendid timing Iyer gave a magnificent display of power hitting racing to 105 off 70 balls (4 fours, 8 sixes).

Gill returned at the fall of Iyer’s wicket to add one run to his score and remain unbeaten on 80 (66 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) with Lokesh Rahul 39* (20 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) as India racked up 110 in the final 10 overs.

A special guest at the final was former England soccer legend David Beckham on a 3-day visit to India as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Shami was named Player of the Match.

Scores: India 397-4 (50) (Rohit Sharma 47, Shubman Gill 80*, Virat Kohli 117, Shreyas Iyer 105, Lokesh Rahul 39*, Tim Southee 3/100)

New Zealand 327 (48.5) (Kane Williamson 69, Daryl Mitchell 134, Glenn Phillips 41, Mohammed Shami 7/57)