Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson are leading their respective teams, India and New Zealand, in their debut ODI Cricket World Cup tournaments as captains, but their rivalry as captains started some 11 years ago
Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson face off as captains in the first semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-final on Tuesday at Old Trafford in Manchester, 11 years after doing so at Under-19 level. Then, it was in the unusual setting of Malaysia that the pair led their respective sides in back in 2008, an occasion notable for Kohli dismissing Williamson in a three-wicket success.
On the eve of the match, Kohli had said that he will make sure that Williamson "remembers that dismissal". "Actually, I'll remind Kane also. I am sure he remembers, when we meet tomorrow I'm going to remind him. It is quite a nice thing to realise that after 11 years we are captaining our respective nations again in a senior World Cup from U19," Kohli said.
Williamson though hasn't put much thought into that subject but certainly finds it "cool".
"Yeah, I actually hadn't thought about that at all so I guess that's kind of cool, isn't it, that a few years later, we're here again, perhaps on a slightly different stage, but pretty special and a lot of respects to being able to lead your country out in a semifinal on the biggest stage," said Williamson.
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The wicket was the turning point of the match, which was affected by rain. Williamson made 37.
Now, let's relive that moment. By the way, the wicketkeeper in the video is not MS Dhoni. He's Shreevats Goswami.
India defeated New Zealand by three runs in D/L method, then went on beat South Africa by 12 runs in D/L method to win the title. Besides Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja also part of that team.
Meanwhile, Williamson won the toss and opted to bat first at Old Trafford.