World Cup 2023: Rohit credits India for staying calm during semi-final victory over New Zealand

India skipper Rohit Sharma credited his team for staying calm under pressure following their 70-run victory over New Zealand in their ICC World Cup semi-final in Mumbai on Wednesday.

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The Men in Blue rode on centuries from Virat Kohli (117) and Shreyas Iyer (105) to post a massive 397/4 on the board after electing to bat. Despite the tall score, the tournament hosts found themselves in a spot of both, especially when Daryl Mitchell and New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson appeared to be cruising along nicely in the middle overs.

Mohammed Shami’s twin-strike in the powerplay as well as at the start of a new spell, however, turned things around in style for the Indians, who are eyeing their third ODI world title this year. Shami would go on to register figures of 7/57 as India bowled New Zealand out for 327, with Mitchell’s fighting 134 going in vain.

“We were very calm, even though we were a bit sloppy on the field. These things are bound to happen but glad we could get the job done.

“It’s hard to say if we would’ve been in trouble (had India scored 30-40 less). They (Kiwis) wouldn’t have taken those risks. Williamson and Mitchell batted brilliantly. Was important for us to stay calm. The crowd went silent, but we knew we needed a catch or run out,” Rohit, who had earlier lit up the powerplay with a 29-ball 47, said in the post-match presentation.

Shami would account for both openers in a superb powerplay spell, reducing the Black Caps to 39/2, and would later break the Mitchell-Williamson stand that was ultimately worth 181 by getting rid of the the New Zealand skipper. Mark Chapman would then follow Williamson back to the pavilion a couple of deliveries later, and the fall of two wickets in the 33rd over would allow the Indians to mount a comeback.

Read | IND beat NZ to qualify for World Cup final, break ICC knockout jinx

Shami’s double blow at the start of a new spell would come shortly after he had dropped a sitter at mid on off pace colleague Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling. Williamson had just brought up his half-century and was batting on 52 when he chipped the ball straight to Shami inside the circle, only for the ball to pop out of his hand.

Williamson, though, would add another 18 runs to his score before miscuing straight to Suryakumar Yadav at deep midwicket in what turned out to be the turning point of the game. Shami made up for his folly earlier by getting the prized wicket.

Shami would later seal the game in India’s favour by inducing a tired shot off a cramping Mitchell, who flicked the ball straight to Ravindra Jadeja at deep midwicket to depart for 134, resulting in the Gujarat Titans pacer collecting his third five-for of the tournament. And by dismissing Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson in the 49th over, Shami became the first Indian to collect seven wickets in an innings at the World Cup.

“We talk a lot of variations, but I still believe in pitching it up and getting wickets with the new ball. I dropped Williamson’s catch, I shouldn’t have. I felt terrible. But the focus was to try and take pace off, see if they’re hitting it in the air. It was a chance we had to take (with the variations),” Shami said after he was awarded the Player of the Match for his haul of 7/57, which surpassed Ashish Nehra’s 6/23 against England in 2003 as the best figures by an Indian at the ICC World Cup.

Earlier in the day, Kohli had brought up his third century of the ongoing World Cup to break Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 49 ODI centuries, becoming the first batter to a half-century of centuries in the format. And the batting superstar achieved the feat in front of his family as well as Tendulkar himself present at the Wankhede Stadium, which happens to be the home ground of the ‘Master Blaster’.

Read | ‘It feels like a dream’, Kohli reacts to breaking Tendulkar’s record

Kohli struck nine fours and two sixes during his stay at the crease, stitching a massive 162-run partnership with Iyer along the way, laying the foundation for India’s massive total. Iyer would then smash his way to a 67-ball ton, helping India get within touching distance of the 400-mark and posting the highest total ever in a World Cup knockout match.