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India produced a sensational batting display after opting to bat first. Skipper Rohit Sharma set the tone with a fiery 47 off 29 balls, while Virat Kohli's masterful 117 runs off 113 balls and Shreyas Iyer's dynamic 105 runs off 70 balls steered India to a mammoth total. Shubman Gill too chipped in with an unbeaten 80 off 66 balls, although he had to retire hurt due to cramps. These combined efforts led India to a formidable total of 397/4. New Zealand, in response, managed to score 327 all out in 48.5 overs, largely due to a solid 181-run partnership between Kane Williamson, who scored 69 runs, and Daryl Mitchell with a remarkable 134-run knock. Mohammed Shami was adjudged Player of the match for his incredible spell of 7/57.
Meanwhile, it was Iyer's back-to-back century in the ongoing ODI World Cup. The star batter earlier scored a blistering 128 off 94 in India's last league-stage match against Netherlands on Diwali.
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Iyer faced intense criticism early in the tournament for his inability to capitalise on promising starts. He was dismissed for a duck in India's World Cup opener against Australia and then followed it up with string of lowly scores like 25, 53, 19, 33, and 4 in further matches. Fans started and cricket pundits were seen question Iyer's ability to negotiate with short-pitched deliveries. But, undeterred by the criticism, Iyer made a stunning comeback with incredible knocks in the following, scoring 50-plus runs in each of his last four matches. He played a crucial innings of 82 against Sri Lanka, narrowly missed a century with a 77 against South Africa, and then went on to score back-to-back centuries against the Netherlands and New Zealand.
In a post-match interview with Star Sports, Iyer acknowledged the criticism he faced during the tournament's early stages, admitting that it had fuelled his determination to succeed.
“I didn't perform good in 1-2 matches at the start of the World Cup. I was getting the starts, but wasn't able to convert them into big ones. But if you look at it (the stats), I was not out against Afghanistan and Pakistan, and then I had two bad innings. Then, people started saying that he has a problem. Inside, I was very angry, I was not showing it but I knew my time would come and then I'd prove myself. And it has come now, at the right time,” Iyer said.
Iyer's return from injury in September 2023 was marred by a back spasm that sidelined him for the remainder of the Asia Cup. However, he bounced back strongly in India's bilateral series against Australia just before the World Cup, marking his return to the XI with a resounding century.
India will now take on either South Africa or Australia in the World Cup 2023 final on November 19.
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