DHARAMSHALA: A five-wicket haul by Mohammed Shami and another masterclass by chase master Virat Kohli guided India to a four-wicket win over New Zealand in their ICC Cricket World Cup match at Dharamshala on Sunday.
With this win, India has its fifth successive win and is at the top of the table with 10 points. NZ is at number two now with four wins and a loss, totalling to eight points.
In the chase of 274 runs, India was off to a flying start as skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were dealing in fours and sixes. The horrors of a terrible top-order start in the 2019 World Cup semifinals were being washed away with every shot they played.
India reached the 50-run mark in 7.4 overs, with the help of a crisp boundary by Gill on a delivery by Matt Henry.
The 71-run opening stand came to an end as Lockie Ferguson castled Rohit for 46 in 40 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes. India was 71/1 in 11.1 overs.
Gill was the next one to be dismissed by Ferguson as he was caught by Daryl Mitchell for 26 off 31 balls, with five fours. India was 76/2 in 13.2 overs.
The new pair on the crease was of Virat Kohli, the centurion against Bangladesh and Shreyas Iyer.
The duo rebuild the Indian innings, bringing up the 100-run mark in 15.4 overs. Iyer was playing with some positive intent, smashing Mitchell Santner and Ferguson for some boundaries. Even Virat was smashing boundaries after settling himself.
Iyer-Kohli reached their 50-run partnership in 45 balls. The partnership was cut short soon after Iyer fell prey to another short delivery by Trent Boult for 33 off 29 balls, with six fours. India was 128/3 in 21.3 overs.
KL Rahul, Virat’s partner during many crucial partnerships of this tournament was next up and they took India to the 150-run mark in 27.5 overs.
KL-Virat brought up their fifty-run stand in 62 balls. However, KL was trapped leg-before wicket by Mitchell Santner for 27 off 35 balls, with three fours. India was 182/4 in 32.1 overs.
Suryakumar Yadav was the next one to be dismissed for just two runs after a horrible mix-up with Virat that led to his run-out. India was 191/5 in 33.5 overs.
Ravindra Jadeja, out of form for a while was next up and took India past 200 in 35.4 overs. Jadeja and Virat hit some pressure-relieving boundaries.
Men in Blue were 250 runs up in 45.2 overs.
India needed seven in the final three overs, with Virat just eight runs from his 49th ODI century, that would help him equal the record of great Sachin Tendulkar.
However, he was caught by Glenn Phillips on a ball by Matt Henry. Virat fell for 95 in 104 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. India was 269/6 in 47.4 overs.
Jadeja sealed the deal with a winning four, ending at 39*, with Shami (1*) unbeaten at the other end. India won the match by four wickets with two overs to spare.
Ferguson (2/63) was the pick of the bowlers for NZ. Santner, Boult and Henry got a wicket each.
Earlier, New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell’s stellar maiden hundred at the ODI World Cup took the Kiwis to 273 in the first inning against India in the 21st match of the tournament at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Ahead of the game, Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue won the toss and decided to field first against Tom Latham’s New Zealand on Sunday. Kiwi openers Devon Conway and Will Young failed to make a solid opening but that did not create trouble for New Zealand.
Mohammed Siraj made the first breakthrough after he dismissed Conway for a duck in the 3.3 overs (NZ 9-1). Mohammed Shami made a stunning comeback to the ODI World Cup 2023 and picked a wicket in his first ball of the ongoing tournament after he dismissed Will Young for 17 runs (NZ 19-2). In the first powerplay, the Kiwi batsmen scored 34 runs and the Men in Blue picked up two wickets.
However, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell made a solid partnership to increase the run rate of the Kiwis and helped to cross the 100-run mark in 20.5 overs after playing 125 balls.
Shami dismissed Ravindra in the 33.3 overs for 75 runs and broke the partnership (NZ 178-3). The Kiwis crossed the 200-run mark in the 36.1 over after playing 217 balls. Kuldeep Yadav picked his first wicket of the game after dismissing Tom Latham for five runs in the 36.5 overs (NZ 205-4).
In the second powerplay, the Kiwis scored 185 runs. On the other hand, the Indian bowling attack picked up two wickets. Yadav took his second wicket after dismissing Glenn Phillips for 23 runs in the 44.2 overs (NZ 243-5).
In the 46.6 overs, Mark Chapman was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah for 6 runs (NZ 257-6).
However, Mohammed Shami picked up two consecutive wickets and dismissed Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry in the 47.4 and 47.5 overs (NZ 260-8).
Shami picked up the most important wicket in the first inning after he dismissed Mitchell in the 49.5 overs for 130 runs (NZ 273-9).
In the third powerplay, India was on fire with the ball and picked up six wickets. While the Kiwis scored 54 runs.
Talking about the Indian bowling attack, Shami took a five-wicket haul in his 10-over spell against New Zealand. While Yadav picked up two wickets. On the other hand, Bumrah, and Siraj bagged one wicket in their respective spell. (ANI)