PremiumIND vs NZ: After 2 decades, India conquer New Zealand in ICC tournament with Shami's fifer and Kohli's 95
It's widely known that India has struggled to defeat New Zealand in ICC tournaments, the last being on March 14, 2003.
Last Updated: 10.28 PM, Oct 22, 2023
In Match 21 of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, India chose to field and bundled New Zealand out for 273 runs. Chasing the target, India secured a hard-fought victory, led by Mohammed Shami's five-wicket haul and Virat Kohli's composed 95.
Despite their struggles to overcome New Zealand in ICC events, the last being on March 14, 2003, India managed to break the jinx in this thrilling encounter at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala. With this win, India go to the top of the points table with 5 wins from 5 games.
The game featured standout performances and partnerships, with a mix of early wickets and essential stands for both sides. The match provided fans with an unforgettable spectacle as India secured a memorable win over their arch-nemesis in the ICC tournament, with only four wickets in hand and two decades since their last victory in such a contest.
India's innings began with a solid opening partnership between skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. The duo displayed impressive boundary-hitting skills and contributed 71 runs for the first wicket. However, Lockie Ferguson disrupted their progress by dismissing Rohit for a well-played 46 off 40 deliveries. Soon after, he removed Gill, who had contributed 26 runs from 31 balls.
This set the stage for Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, who built a crucial 52-run partnership for the third wicket. Trent Boult broke this partnership by claiming the wicket of Iyer for 33 runs off 29 balls. KL Rahul joined Kohli at the crease and the two continued to add runs, forming a partnership that exceeded 50 runs.
However, Rahul's innings ended at 27 from 35 balls after Mitchell Santner took his wicket. Suryakumar Yadav, making his World Cup debut, was unable to make a substantial impact and was run out following a mix-up with Kohli. Despite the fall of wickets around him, Kohli remained resolute and secured a half-century.
He partnered with Ravindra Jadeja as they aimed to see the team through to the target. In the end, with Kohli just five runs short of a century, he was caught by Glenn Phillips at deep mid-wicket on a delivery from Matt Henry. Kohli's departure came after he had anchored India's chase and set them on course for victory, and it was a key moment in the match.
In the first innings, India's recovery was led by Mohammed Shami, who was making his first appearance in this World Cup. After Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra's explosive 159-run partnership, which came in just 152 balls, New Zealand appeared to be heading towards a formidable total.
Mitchell went on to play a magnificent innings, amassing 130 runs from 127 deliveries. However, in the final ten overs, New Zealand struggled to accelerate, managing to score only 54 runs and losing six wickets in the process. Shami's fiery five-wicket haul and Kohli's anchoring role with the bat significantly impacted the outcome of the match, ultimately leading India to a historic victory.