India reached the final of the World Cup 2023 after defeating New Zealand in the first semifinal in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Chasing a total of 398, the Blackcaps were all out on 327 as Mohammad Shami rattled their batting lineup. The hosts of the tournament won the game by 70 runs to qualify for the final.

Shami took seven wickets in his 9.5 overs while conceding 57 runs. Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj took one wicket each.

For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell hit a ton, scoring 134 off 119 balls. Skipper Kane Williamson added 69 runs to the total, however, no other batter could stay for longer on the crease.

Earlier, Virat Kohli’s recording-breaking ton helped India set a target of 398 for New Zealand in the first semifinal.

The hosts of the World Cup put a mammoth total of 397 on the board over the loss of four wickets as Kohli and Shreyas Iyer hit tons.

After electing to bat first, the Indian opening pair were on charge as they scored 71 runs in the first eight over before skipper Rohit Sharma was out on 47 off 29 balls. His opening partner Shubman Gill was then joined by Virat Kohli who scored his 50th ODI ton.

Highlights

• The match will start at 1:30 pm Pakistan Standard Time.
• The first semi-final match will be played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai
• A “cricket capital” of sorts, the Wankhede hosted the final of the Men’s Cricket World Cup the last time it was held in India back in 2011.
• India’s men haven’t reached any of the last five finals in ICC white-ball World Cups
• While New Zealand have never won one, despite reaching three finals in seven years

India versus New Zealand is a mouth-watering prospect as the first semi-final of the tournament throws up a repeat of the 2019 semi at Old Trafford in Manchester.

New Zealand denied India in a nail-biting classic on that occasion, with Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni’s fightback proving not quite enough to deny the Kiwis a spot in the final.

India’s progression to this semi-final has been even more serene that it was in England four years ago, with Rohit Sharma’s side winning all nine games and rarely even looking like being challenged on their path to the knockout stages.

History beckons for an India side who are looking for a first major tournament win in 12 years, and where better for this semi-final to be held than at the venue where India won their last Cricket World Cup back in 2011.

This generation of New Zealand cricketers are the nearly side of the white-ball game, with many of the players to have lost the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final in 2021 and Cricket World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019 still involved in the set-up.

Pitch and conditions

It’s been fun to bat in the first innings at Wankhede stadium and then fun again after 20 overs of the chase is done. The in-between period is when the quicks have wreaked havoc. The weather is set fair and even if not there is a reserve day for the semi-final.

Squads

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Suryakumar Yadav.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young.