Virat Kohli scored a record 50th one-day international century before Mohammed Shami took seven wickets as World Cup hosts India breezed into Sunday’s final with a 70-run victory over New Zealand in Mumbai.
Kohli eclipsed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 49 ODI hundreds by scoring 117 from 107 balls in India’s 397-4, breaking Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in a single World Cup in the process as he took his haul for the tournament to 711.
India’s innings, in which Shreyas Iyer smoked 105 from just 70 deliveries, was the highest in a Cricket World Cup knockout game – but New Zealand had hope of eclipsing it as Daryl Mitchell (134 off 119 balls) and Kane Williamson (69) put on 181 from 39-2.
However, Shami then took two wickets in the 33rd over, with Williamson – whom the bowler had dropped on 52 at mid-on – caught in the deep and Tom Latham (0) pinned lbw two balls later as the Kiwis slipped to 220-4 and ultimately ended up way short on 327 all out with Shami, fittingly, taking the final wicket.
Mitchell and Glenn Phillips (41) kept New Zealand just about in the hunt with a fifth-wicket stand of 75 but with the run-rate skyrocketing the ask became too much for the Black Caps against India’s high-quality bowling attack on a used pitch, with Mitchell seventh out as Shami clinched his third five-for of the tournament.
The host nation made it 10 victories from 10 and advanced to their first final since winning the World Cup on home soil in 2011, with South Africa or Australia to now await in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
New Zealand’s bid for a third successive appearance in the final was dashed – the Black Caps lost to Australia in the 2015 showpiece and were then beaten by England on boundary countback in 2019 – with Mitchell’s knock, which included a 107-metre six, coming in vain.
South Africa and Australia meet in the second semi-final at Eden Gardens Kolkata on Thursday – live on Sky Sports Cricket from 8am – with the Proteas looking to reach a first final and five-time champions Australia their eighth.
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