IND vs NZ World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Shami power India to final by 70-run win

India stormed to the final of the 2023 World Cup after a crushing win over New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. India's 10th successive win of the tournament was highlighted by Virat Kohli's 50th ODI hundred, Shreyas Iyer's second consecutive hundred and Mohammed Shami's third five-wicket within a span of three weeks.

Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami now lead the charts for the leading run-scorers and wicket-takers respectively in this edition of the World Cup. While Kohli top-scored for India with 117, Shami picked career-best ODI figures of 7 for 57 to destroy New Zealand's chase and set up a sensational victory for India.

India were finally able to break the semifinal jinx and secure a berth in the final of an ODI World Cup after surviving a scare from Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson, who had



kept New Zealand in the hunt for a massive run chase. This will be India's fourth World Cup final. They had first won the World Cup in 1983 and then had to wait for 20 years to reach another World Cup final.

After a poor campaign in 2007, India became the first host nation to win the World Cup in 2011. Four years later, India topped their group and were unbeaten before a huge defeat to Australia, the eventual champions in 2015. India were once again the best team in the 2019 World Cup but they lost to New Zealand in a nail-biting thriller which was affected by rain and had to be played over two days.

India have been ruthless in this World Cup. They remained unbeaten throughout the group stage with victories over Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Netherlands.