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New Delhi: Team India creates history as it enters into World Cup final after 12 years by crushing New Zealand with 70 runs in the ODI Cricket World Cup, thanks to Mohammed Shami’s seven-wicket haul. Men-in-blue had suffered heartbreak exits in the previous two editions of the ODI World Cups in 2015 and 2019, both campaigns ended in the semifinal but the Men in Blue were finally able to end the final four jinx at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
India’s 10th successive win of the tournament was underscored by Virat Kohli’s 50th ODI hundred, Shreyas Iyer’s second consecutive hundred and Mohammed Shami’s third five-wicket within a span of three weeks.
Smashers Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami now lead the charts for the leading run-scorers and wicket-takers respectively in this edition of the World Cup. While Kohli top-scored for India with 117, Shami picked career-best ODI figures of 7 for 57 to destroy New Zealand’s chase and set up a sensational victory for India.
India were finally able to break the semifinal jinx and secure a berth in the final of an ODI World Cup after surviving a scare from Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson, who had kept New Zealand in the hunt for a massive run chase. This will be India’s fourth World Cup final. They had first won the World Cup in 1983 and then had to wait for 20 years to reach another World Cup final.
The Men in Blue ended their knockout curse against the Kiwis to register their maiden win. India continued their dominance in the tournament with a record-straight 10th win with another all-round performance but the Kiwis put up a remarkable fight to entertain the crowd at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Rohit Sharma won the crucial toss and elected to bat first with both teams remaining unchanged. Rohit produced another quick start with a 71-run stand for the opening wicket with Shubman Gill. Rohit’s quickfire 47 runs put India in rhythm and then remarkable knocks from Shubman Gill, Kohli and Iyer provided India a big total.
Gill scored 80* off just 66 balls before getting retired hurt but a 160-run stand between Kohli and Iyer proved a difference at Wankhede Stadium. Iyer smashed a 67-ball hundred to continue his rich form while Kohli stole the limelight again by bringing his record-breaking 50th ODI hundred. Kohli top-scored with 117 runs off 113 balls and KL Rahul added crucial 39* runs off 20 balls in the closing stages.
Chasing a record target, the Kiwis lost both openers Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra with just 39 runs on the scoreboard. But Daryl Mitchell and captain Kane Williamson put New Zealand alive in the chase with a sensational 181-run stand for the third wicket.
Williamson scored 69 runs off 73 balls before getting scrapped by Mohammed Shami in the 33rd over. Shami removed Tom Latham in the same over to end New Zealand’s momentum and put India ahead in the game for the rest of the game.
Mitchell kept New Zealand’s slim hopes alive by smashing 134 runs off 119 balls, the highest individual score in the history of the World Cup semifinal. But once again Shami rose to the occasion to dismiss Mitchell in the 46th over. 33-year-old removed Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson in the 49th over to put the Kiwis out of their misery. Shami took a remarkable seven wickets to make the biggest milestone and also achieved the Player of the Match award.
New Zealand Playing XI: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Mark Chapman, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
