Effusively praising Virat Kohli for his match-winning knocks, Pakistan great Shoaib Akhtar said there is “no way that India should not be winning” the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
Led by Virat Kohli’s outstanding near-century (95 in 104 balls), India held back a New Zealand onslaught to record their fifth win in as many games in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Claiming the triumph with four wickets and 12 balls remaining on October 22, Sunday, in Dharamshala, India retained their spot at the top of the points table as the only team yet to lose in the tournament. (Points Table | Full Coverage | Cricket News)
With captain Rohit Sharma electing to bowl first upon winning the toss, India limited New Zealand to 273 in 50 overs, claiming all ten wickets en route. Leading the way with the ball was Mohammed Shami, whose five-wicket-haul included the scalps of both Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, the pair contributing toward 205 of the Kiwis’ 273 runs on the board. Mitchell, especially, was devastating with the bat, racing to 130 runs in 127 balls with the help of nine fours and five sixes - and a strike rate of just over 100.
Set a formidable target by their opponents, the tournament hosts raced out of the blocks in the second innings, courtesy of Sharma and Shubhman Gill’s 70-run partnership. Kohli took over from his openers soon after, seeing India through to their fifth win alongside a revolving cast of supporting actors, with Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja all contributing heavily to the victory.
Kohli, however, drew particular praise for his display, not least from Pakistan cricketing great Shoaib Akhtar, who took to his YouTube channel to add to the tributes.
“He is someone who thrives under pressure. Pressure brings opportunities for him. And opportunities are scoring a hundred, playing match-winning knocks and getting followed on Instagram, and why not! This guy deserves it,” Akhtar said.
Furthermore, Akhtar credited Shami for his performance with the ball before singling out India’s “complete” roster and claiming the hosts to be the heavy favourites for the cup.
“But in ensuring that New Zealand don’t score 300-350, Shami played a big role. He was a bit expensive, but it’s okay since he dismissed five batters. He has shown his talent, and India need to persist with the same bowling attack. They have a complete batting and bowling lineup. There is no way that India should not be winning the World Cup,” Akhtar added.
With a maximum of ten points collected and a spot in the knockouts all but secured, India take on England next in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup on October 29, followed by Sri Lanka, South Africa, and the Netherlands.