Virat Kohli made a masterful 95 off 104 balls, and fast bowler, Mohammed Shami took 5-54 as India beat New Zealand by 4 wickets in their ICC Men’s 50-Overs Cricket World Cup match at Dharamsala in India yesterday.
Kohli hit 2 sixes and 8 fours in another classy innings to put India on the brink of victory as they chased down New Zealand’s 273 off 50 overs.
Earlier, Shami was India’s star with the ball as he took 5 wickets. Daryl Mitchell’s 130 made up the bulk of New Zealand’s runs.
Table toppers, India are the only unbeaten team left after five matches.
Fog briefly stopped play during India’s reply but Kohli’s mind remained clear as he played a big hand in the highest successful chase in a one-day international at Dharamsala.
Kohli produced another stellar innings and now has 354 runs at an average of 118 in a tournament in which he looks set to leave an indelible mark.
Rohit Sharma had given India a solid start with a typically bold 46 off 40 balls, but Kohli’s calm assurance to pace the chase was key after three of India’s top order made starts without kicking on.
Kohli fell five runs short of equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 One Day International centuries when he was caught by Glenn Phillips in the deep off fast bowler, Matt Henry. India needed 5 runs for victory at the time.
Ravindra Jadeja, who made 39 not out, hit Henry for four to get India over the line with 12 balls to spare.
In New Zealand’s innings earlier, after they were sent in to bats first, Daryl Mitchell (130 off 127 balls), and Rachin Ravindra, who struck 75 off 87 balls, helped their team recover from the loss of two early wickets, with a third-wicket stand of 159.
Mitchell brought up his century off exactly 100 balls but New Zealand could not capitalise on the final 10 overs to post a more commanding total.
The final scores: New Zealand 273 off 50 overs, India 274-6 off 48 overs.
India’s next match will be against England in Lucknow next Sunday.
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