India edge past New Zealand in a thrilling Cricket World Cup encounter
England v New Zealand: Cricket World Cup 2023 opener
Dharamshala, India – In a pulsating clash between two of the tournament’s unbeaten sides, India edged past New Zealand by four wickets in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 encounter at the HPCA Stadium on Sunday.
Put in to bat first, New Zealand posted a challenging 273/10 on the board, thanks to a superb century from Daryl Mitchell (130) and a gritty 75 from Rachin Ravindra. However, India’s bowlers fought back valiantly, with Mohammed Shami picking up a five-wicket haul to restrict the Kiwis to a manageable total.
In reply, India got off to a flying start, with Rohit Sharma (45) and Shubman Gill (52) putting on a 92-run partnership for the first wicket. However, New Zealand fought back with some tight bowling and fielding, and India were reduced to 162/4 in the 33rd over.
But just when it seemed like New Zealand were in the ascendancy, Virat Kohli (72) and KL Rahul (60) put on a match-winning partnership of 111 runs to take India home with 10 overs to spare.
The victory was India’s fifth in as many matches in the tournament, and it keeps them firmly on top of the table. New Zealand, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from this defeat in their next match against England.
Key takeaways from the match:
- Mohammed Shami’s five-wicket haul was the highlight of India’s bowling performance. The pacer was lethal with the new ball, and he also picked up wickets in the middle and death overs.
- Daryl Mitchell’s century was a lone bright spot for New Zealand. The right-hander batted with great composure and umiejętność, and he was unfortunate to miss out on a 150.
- Virat Kohli and KL Rahul’s partnership was the match-winner for India. The two batsmen played with great maturity and understanding, and they never allowed New Zealand to get back into the game.
Looking ahead:
India will now face Bangladesh in their next match on October 26, while New Zealand will take on England on October 29.
