India reached the World Cup final for the fourth time in their history, defeating New Zealand by 70 runs in the first semi-final of the ongoing CWC 2023 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday (November 15).

India, put into bat first, piled up a mammoth 397/4 in their 50 overs, with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer scoring scintillating centuries. Kohli’s 117 not only surpassed his idol Sachin Tendulkar’s 25-year record for the most ODI centuries but also made him the first batter to score 700 runs in a single World Cup edition.

Iyer, who smashed eight sixes in his whirlwind 70-ball 105, provided perfect support to Kohli. Shubman Gill, who was forced to retire hurt due to cramps at 79, had also made a significant contribution with his 80 not out. Openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul also played crucial knocks, scoring 47 and 39 not out, respectively.

In response, New Zealand were off to a promising start, but Mohammad Shami dismissed the openers cheaply. Captain Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell then put together a solid partnership, reviving New Zealand’s hopes despite the required run-rate reaching 10.

However, Shami struck again, dismissing Williamson and Tom Latham in quick succession, turning the tide back in India’s favor. Except for Glenn Phillips’s 41, none of the remaining New Zealand batters could handle the mounting pressure, and wickets fell regularly.

Shami finished with a career-best 7/57, the best bowling figures for India in ODIs. This was his third five-wicket haul in the ongoing World Cup edition and fourth overall in the tournament’s history. He also became the first Indian bowler to reach the milestone of 50 World Cup wickets, achieving it in just 17 matches.