CWC 2023, IND vs NZ: Shreyas Iyer beats Siraj, Kohli to bag ‘Fielder of the Match’ award

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India]: Shreyas Iyer became the latest recipient of the fielder of the match award by fielding coach T Dilip besting the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Virat Kohli after India’s four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the ongoing World Cup.

Iyer went low to his right from square leg and took an incredibly sharp catch to dismiss the dangerous Kiwi opener Devon Conway for a nine-ball duck. After Iyer completed the stunning catch, Siraj made a gesture to Dilip to give Iyer the medal after the match.

Unlike revealing the name on the television screen, Dilip had a trick up his sleeve as he announced Iyer’s name and asked everybody to step outside the room. The entire squad walked back towards the ground and saw a drone coming towards them with a photo frame of Iyer. The entire squad was amazed and Jadeja went on to hand the medal to Iyer while Kuldeep Yadav made sure that Iyer wore his photo frame.

Dilip hailed the team’s effort to bounce back after New Zealand exercised dominance in the first innings with a few dropped catches and Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell stitching up a 159-run partnership.

“Dharamshala did pose us unique challenges. But I think apart from a few errors, I think most of the time we stood on the top of it and our ground fielding and attacking. The way we came back was outstanding. Very well done guys,” Dilip said in a video released by BCCI.

In the match a partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell allowed New Zealand to set up a target of 274 for the Men in Blue. Chasing 274, India were off to a sensational start, with the opening pair of skipper Rohit Sharma (46 in 40 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) and Shubhman Gill (26 in 31 balls, with five fours) raising a 71-run stand for the first wicket.

India did lose Shreyas Iyer (33), KL Rahul (27) and Suryakumar Yadav as the innings progressed, but Virat Kohli (95* in 104 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (39* in 44 balls, three fours and a six) guided the hosts to a four-wicket win with two overs to spare.

Lockie Ferguson (2/63) was the pick of the bowlers for NZ while Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner got a wicket apiece.Mohammad Shami was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for his sensational five-wicket haul.