Kohli, whose first love is Test cricket, but whose game is modelled perfectly for ODIs, got to the coveted landmark of 50 ODI centuries to surpass the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s mark of 49 against New Zealand at the Wankhede on Wednesday.
Breaking: India enter World Cup 2023 final, beat New Zealand by 70 runs
Powered by his 117 (113b, 9×4, 2×6) and a hurricane 70-ball 105 (4×4, 8×6) from Shreyas Iyer and a stylish 80 (66b, 8×4, 3×6) from a cramping Shubman Gill, the hosts reached a massive 397 for 4, the highest score in a World Cup knockout contest, surpassing Australia’s 359-2 vs India in the 2003 World Cup final at Johannesburg.
The magical Mohammed Shami then produced a performance for the ages to end with 7-57 – the first Indian to pick seven wickets in an ODI – to pull the game out of fire for the hosts when the Kiwis threatened a heist through Daryl Mitchell 134 (119b, 9×4, 7×6), Kane William son 69 (73 balls, 8×4, 1×6) and Glenn Phillips 41 (33 balls, 4×4, 2×6) and bowl India to a 70-run win and reach their fourth World Cup final.
Shami in the process produced his fourth five-for in the World Cup, a record. With 23 wickets, he is also the leading wicket-taker in this tournament, surpassing Adam Zampa’s tally of 22.
Under lights, jasprit bumrah was unusually wayward as was Mohammed Siraj, but the skilful Shami produced two perfect outswingers to dismiss both Devon Conway (13) and in-form Rachin Ravindra (13) to smart catches by KL Rahul. India looked to be in the hunt for more when Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson survived a close shout for leg before on umpire’s call off chinaman Kuldeep Yadav on 30 and a run out when Rahul broke the stumps before collecting the ball on the same score.
Mohammed Shami celebrating his 7 wickets. (PTI Photo)
Williamson also survived a dropped chance at mid-on by Shami off the bowling of Bumrah on 52 and the comfort with which he and Daryl Mitchell were batting seemed to frustrate the bowlers. Misfields and overthrows appeared from nowhere and the Indians seemed to be lost.
While Williamson played a scratchy innings before flicking Shami to Suryakumar Yadav at deep square-leg to become Shami’s 50th wicket in World Cups, Mitchell targeted Ravindra Jadeja hitting him deep into the stand for sixes whenever he over-pitched. In between, he kept lap-sweeping Kuldeep Yadav for ones and twos which got the ball wet on a dew-laden outfield. When the duo was in the midst of their 181-run stand, 33,000 people at the Wankhede had lost their voice.
Shami though helped them find it back with a double strike, getting Williamson, and two balls later Tom Latham for a duck.
They crowd was silenced again when Mitchell and Phillips added a rapid 75 for the fifth wicket.
However, Kuldeep bowled two excellent overs, (his ninth and 10th) which went for just six and produced the wicket of Mark Chapman. Phillips holed out to Jadeja off Bumrah, and the asking rate ballooned leaving the brave but tiring Mitchell too much to do. India now await the winners of the second semifinal between South Africa and five-time champions Australia at the Eden Gardens today.
Earlier, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had no hesitation in batting first. The skipper, who has prioritised impact knocks over statistical glory, powered his way to a 29-ball 47 (4×4, 4×6).
Rohit fell trying to push on and was caught brilliantly by his opposite number at mid-on while running backwards when he miscued a lofted hit off a Southee off-cutter. Shubman Gill though took Rohit’s attacking role to allow Kohli to settle down and play anchor. He had to retire hurt with cramps on 79 and that brought Iyer to the crease. The stylish No. 4 was severe on part-timer Phillipps and Ravindra and any slower ball bowled by Boult and Southee in his half and raced his way to a hundred.
Apart from Shami’s spell, the pace of Iyer’s knock proved to be the difference.
