Indian bowler Mohammed Shami has been hailed by the cricket fans for picking another five-wicket haul in the crucial World Cup semi-final against New Zealand on Wednesday. He ended up with seven wickets and India beat New Zealand by a comfortable margin of 70 runs to reach ODI World Cup final for fourth time. The final will be played on November 19 at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium.
His tight pace bowling was the reason India could smell an overwhelming victory when a while ago it looked like the duo of Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell will chase down the mammoth 398-run target. "Well played Shami," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X platform minutes after India's comprehensive win.
"Today’s Semi Final has been even more special thanks to stellar individual performances too. The bowling by @MdShami11 in this game and also through the World Cup will be cherished by cricket lovers for generations to come. Well played Shami," posted Modi on X platform (formerly Twitter).
Virat Kohli's world record 50th ODI hundred and a scintillating century by Shreyas Iyer were also instrumental in powering India into the final at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
Kohli's hundred was a tribute to his endurance, the mindset to soak in pressure, conditions, opponents and occasion.
It allowed Shreyas Iyer to bat around him with freedom, brave in the knowledge that an immovable force is at the other end.
Their 163-run partnership for the second wicket, after Gill retired hurt, ensured that India did not lose the momentum Rohit provided.
Rohit Sharma's (47 off 29 balls), tons by Kohli (117 off 113) and Iyer (105 off 70), and a fluent 66-ball 80 by Shubman Gill, who retired hurt due to cramps, propelled India to an imposing 397 for four after the skipper won a good toss.
New Zealand were stopped at 327 in 48.5 overs as Mohammed Shami finished with incredible figures of 7/57.
The pacer got rid of dangerous openers Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra early in the innings. But New Zealand found some wind on their sail through a 181-run stand between captain Kane Williamson (69) and centurion Daryl Mitchell.
India needed a wicket to break the momentum and Shami, in fact, gave two. He ousted Williamson and Tom Latham in successive balls in the 33rd over to hamper the Black Caps. In the process, he also completed 50 wickets in the World Cup.
With inputs from PTI