MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 15
Virat Kohli struck a record-breaking century and Mohammed Shami took seven wickets to guide India into the Cricket World Cup final on Wednesday.
India beat New Zealand by 70 runs in the first semifinal match in Mumbai, sparked by Kohli's 117 that propelled the host nation to a daunting 397-4 and thrilled a passionate crowd at Wankhede Stadium which included David Beckham.
It was Kohli's 50th ODI hundred, breaking the record for the format he shared with India great Sachin Tendulkar, who was also at the stadium.
Shreyas Iyer scored his second consecutive hundred in the tournament – 105 off 70 balls with four boundaries and eight sixes – as India reached the highest score in a World Cup knockout game.
The Black Caps were bowled out for 327 in their reply, with pacer Shami (7-57) taking the first four wickets - including two in three deliveries when New Zealand was going well on 220-2. Daryl Mitchell hit 134 off 119 balls.
Shami has three five-wicket hauls in six appearances this World Cup and a record four in total at the tournament.
The stadium was bathed in blue jerseys and packed for a special occasion with a galaxy of cricket, soccer and Bollywood stars in attendance. Beckham attended the game as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.
It wasn't as easy an win as some home fans might have expected after Shami had removed both New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra for 13 runs apiece.
At 39-2, Mitchell came together with captain Kane Williamson, who scored 69 runs off 73 balls. The duo put on 181 runs off just under 25 overs for the second wicket – they started slowly, cleverly picking boundaries that put pressure back on the Indian bowlers.
New Zealand was up to 100 in 16.4 overs. Williamson reached 50 off 58 balls. Mitchell scored 50 off 49 and hit nine fours and seven sixes overall.
Williamson enjoyed two lives. First, in the 18th over, 'keeper Lokesh Rahul failed to take advantage when Williamson was sent back from a run and out of the crease. He was on 29 then.
Shami dropped a catch off Jasprit Bumrah in the 29th over, with Williamson on 52.
The pacer more than made amends, though. Williamson holed out in the 33rd over off Shami, with Suryakumar Yadav taking a calm catch to recharge the Indian fans. It was a game-changing moment that sucked out New Zealand's momentum. Shami found his mojo back and trapped Tom Latham lbw for a two-ball duck in the same over.
India, which has won all 10 of its games this tournament, will play in the title match for the fourth time and will look to win it for the third time, after 1983 and 2011.
Australia plays South Africa on Thursday in the second semifinal match. The final is on Sunday.
