Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Record-breaking centuries from Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer helped India post a Himalayan target of 397/4 against New Zealand in the semifinals of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
Opting to bat first, India got off to a rollicking start. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill once again provided an impactful, explosive start. Rohit and Gill smashed New Zealand opening bowlers, Trent Boult and Tim Southee, for two fours each in their initial overs.
Rohit struck monstrous sixes from the other end while Gill took his time to settle. Despite Gill’s slow pace of scoring initially, India reached the 50-run mark in 5.2 overs.
Southee gave the Kiwis the first breakthrough as Rohit was caught by skipper Kane Williamson for 47 off 29 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes, at mid-off. India was 71/1 in 8.2 overs.
Star batter Virat was next up on crease and immediately survived a close LBW call. After the 10 overs of the first powerplay, India was at 84/1, with Virat (4*) and Gill (30*) unbeaten.
In the first two balls of the 13th over, Gill smashed Lockie Ferguson for a four, then a six. This brought up the 100-run mark in 12.2 overs.
Gill reached his 13th ODI fifty and fourth in this World Cup in 41 balls, with seven fours and a six. He and Virat completed their fifty-run stand in 46 balls.
Gill was targeting Kiwi spinners Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips really well, smashing them for some boundaries and sixes. India reached the 150-run mark in just 19.4 overs.
Gill started facing cramps and had to retire hurt at 79* in 65 balls, with eight fours and three sixes. Shreyas Iyer came to the crease to take his place.
Iyer smashed Rachin Ravindra’s spin for a four and six just after arriving. Kohli reached his sixth half-century of the World Cup in 59 balls, with four boundaries.
By smashing Boult for a boundary, Virat helped India reach the 200-run mark in 28.1 overs.
Iyer-Kohli brought up their fifty-run stand in just 44 balls.
With the help of a six, Virat broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most runs in a single edition, when he made 673 runs in the 2003 edition of the tournament.
India reached the 250-run mark in 35.1 overs after Virat smashed Boult for a boundary. Kohli and Iyer smashed Boult for a total of 17 runs, including two fours and a six.
A century stand was up between these two in just 79 balls.
Iyer reached his 17th ODI fifty and fourth-successive fifty of this World Cup in 35 balls, with two fours and four sixes.
By taking a double on a delivery by Lockie in 41.4 overs, Virat reached his record 50th ODI century, becoming the first-ever player to do so. This was also his 80th international ton.
India reached the 300-run mark in 42 overs.
Following his century, Virat became a bit more aggressive. Iyer on the other hand also was tonking everyone for sixes, be it Southee or Ravindra.
Virat’s historic knock came to an end after Southee dismissed him after he was caught by Devon Conway. He scored 117 in 113 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. India was 327/2 in 44 overs and an outstanding 163-run partnership was over.
Following Virat’s dismissal, KL Rahul joined Iyer at the crease and went all guns blazing on Kiwi bowlers.
Iyer reached his fifth ODI century and second successive in this World Cup with a single. It came in just 67 balls, with three fours and eight sixes.
Iyer and KL registered their fifty-run stand in just 27 balls, with KL delivering some heavy blows as well.
The 54-run stand came to an end after Iyer gave a catch to Daryl Mitchell at long-on on a delivery by Boult. Iyer was dismissed for 105 in 70 balls, with four boundaries and eight sixes. India was 381/3 in 48.5 overs.
Suryakumar Yadav was also dismissed for just one run by Southee after being caught by Glenn Phillips. India was 382/4 in 49.1 overs.
Shubman returned to the crease meanwhile. India ended their innings at 397/4 in 50 overs, with Gill (80*) and KL Rahul (39* in 20 balls, with five fours and two sixes) unbeaten.
Tim Southee (3/100) was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis. Boult (1/86) also got a wicket.
Brief Scores: India: 397/4 (Virat Kohli 117, Shreyas Iyer 105, Tim Southee 3/100).
