first semifinal was to be India's acid test as it was against their bogey team New Zealand which always found ways to beat and upset India.
The first semifinal was to be India's acid test as it was against their bogey team New Zealand which always found ways to beat and upset India. But this time team India was ready for the test and they managed to get past a fighting team New Zealand and reach the finals.
There was a superlative performance from Rohit Shama who once gave India the rousing start to set the template, Shubman Gills's half-century who made sure India did not drop the tempo after Rohit’s dismissal, Virat Kohli’s 50th ODI hundred who kept one end going, Mohammed Shami’s seven on a flat wicket and of course the hurricane hundred by Shreyas Iyer who made sure India had enough in the bank.
All performances from India were special but I would pick two as very special, the reason I pick Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami as both were crucial in the context of the game. Firstly, the way Shreyas Iyer attacked all the New Zealand bowlers and made sure India posted a total which was good enough to sustain a New Zealand fight.
Shreyas Iyer hit 105 runs in Just 70 balls with eight massive sixes and four boundaries at a strike rate of 150 which made sure India almost reached 400, India's eventual score was 397.
I was there to see the game, and everyone knew the ball would swing in the night at Wankhede. And it did but Bumrah and Siraj did not get the early wickets as expected. But the captain had Rohit Sharma to bank on Mohammed Shami who got two wickets in first two overs to keep New Zealand quiet. That's when it looked like India would cruise but as New Zealand always do, they fought back. Captain Kane Williamson and Daryll Mitchell stitched a partnership of 171 and after 30 overs they were in the game.
Read: Mohammed Shami’s miraculous bowling decoded, Shoaib Akhtar explains magic behind match winning spells
Shami had dropped a sitter of Kane Williamson and he had to make amends and boy what he did was absolutely mind-blowing. He first got Kane Williamson and at the same over got Tom Latham. But New Zealand were not done. He went on to knock off the last three wickets to skittle out New Zealand for 327 to give India that win against a team which was haunting them in ICC knockout events, eventually becoming the highest wicket-taker in this World Cup with 23 Wickets
The margin of win might look big but trust me it was very close and all of us in the stadium were quiet when the partnership between Daryll Mitchell and Kane Williamson was going on. Wankhede is a good chasing ground and the extra runs scored by Shreyas at the strike rate gave India the cushion the crucial wickets picked by Mohammed Shami were the difference between India winning and New Zealand losing.
The author of this article is Anis Sajan, cricket enthusiast and prominent businessman who serves as Vice Chairman, Danube Group.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "india world cup, icc world cup, world cup india, indian cricket, sports news")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}