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Centuries from Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer followed by Mohammed Shami’s record-breaking seven-wicket haul headlined India’s revenge against New Zealand in ICC Men’s World Cup 2023 semifinal at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In a high-scoring encounter, India overcame the Kiwi challenge posed by a spirited Daryl Mitchell as the hosts won by 70 runs to make it to their third World Cup final.
In ideal batting conditions despite a slightly slow surface, Rohit opted to bat first. Rohit negated the challenge posed by Trent Boult with the new ball. He hit him for two back-to-back fours. Shubman Gill did the same against Tim Southee. The first six of the innings came in the third over off Rohit's bat. The skipper continued to hit big as India crossed the fifty-run mark in the sixth over. He broke Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a World Cup edition. In the ninth over, Southee ended Rohit's stay at the crease. He could not control the slower one and got caught by Kane Williamson. His 29-ball 47 was laced with four fours and as many sixes.
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Kohli got off the mark with an inside edge off the bat. Gill adopted Rohit's role after the latter's wicket. India crossed the 100-run mark in the 13th over. He reached his half-century from 41 balls. While Gill attacked, Kohli tried to settle in the middle. But Gill struggled with cramps and eventually had to leave the field in the 23rd over. He was batting on 79 when he got retired hurt. Iyer hit the first six of his innings from the seventh ball he faced. Meanwhile, Kohli completed his half-century from 59 balls. While Kohli moved towards his century, Iyer reached his half-century from just 35 balls. The 35-year-old reached his record-breaking 50th ODI century to break Sachin Tendulkar's record in the 42nd over.
Battling with cramps, Kohli tried to accelerate and hit Southee for a maximum. But he got out in the same over trying to flick it over square leg. He scored 117 runs from 113 balls featuring nine fours and two sixes. Iyer hit Rachin for two sixes in the next over. In the 48th over, he got to his century from just 67 balls, the fastest in a World Cup knockout game. KL Rahul unleashed big shots in the slog overs as India closed in on 400. In the penultimate over, Boult got the wicket of Iyer with a slower one. His 70-ball 105 was laced with four fours and eight sixes. In the final over, Suryakumar Yadav could not do much damage and got caught. Gill returned to bat and took a single. Rahul hit one six and two fours as his unbeaten 20-ball 39 helped India post 397/4.
In the run chase, Devon Conway started off with two boundaries against Jasprit Bumrah. In the sixth over, Shami was brought into the attack and he delivered with the wicket of Conway who scored just 13 runs from 15 balls. In his third over, Shami struck again to dismiss Rachin as he poked at a delivery and got caught by Rahul. Williamson struggled to rotate strike early in the crease. Mitchell and Williamson soaked up the pressure and then attacked. Mitchell hit Shami for a six and a four in the 17th over. Mitchell took on Ravindra Jadeja as well. In the 23rd over, he reached his half-century from 49 balls. A few overs later, Williamson completed his fifty from 58 balls.
As Mitchell and Williamson attacked, Rohit brought back Bumrah into the attack and it almost paid dividends. Shami dropped a sitter at mid-on when Williamson was batting on 52. In the 33rd over, Shami reached his century from 85 balls. As the game seemed to be swinging in New Zealand's balance, Shami provided the breakthrough. Williamson went for the pick-up shot but could not clear Suryakumar in the deep. He scored 69 runs from 73 balls including nine fours and a six. In the same over, Shami trapped Tom Latham in front of the stumps. After the double strike, Glenn Phillips struggled to get off the mark. Mitchell broke the shackles in the 38th over with a six off Shami. Phillips targetted Mohammed Siraj in the 41st over, hitting him for two sixes followed by a four.
Bumrah prevented Phillips from scoring a half-century. He scored 41 runs from 33 balls including four fours and a couple of sixes. In his final over, Kuldeep dismissed Mark Chapman for a single-digit score. In the 46th over, Shami completed his third five-wicket haul of the tournament and ended New Zealand's hopes of winning the match. Mitchell departed after scoring 134 runs from 119 balls featuring nine fours and seven sixes. Siraj in the 48th over dismissed Santner. In the penultimate over, Shami struck twice to bowl out New Zealand for 327. Shami broke the record for best bowling figures for India in ODIs. Also, he became the fifth to take a seven-fer in World Cups.
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