India captain Rohit Sharma did not have much to say when he was asked about Virat Kohli‘s match-winning 95 against New Zealand in their World Cup 2023 match in Dharamsala on Sunday, October 22. Rohit said it was on the expected lines from the former captain who steered another successful chase for India, this time helping the 2-time world champions beat New Zealand in an ICC event for the first time in 20 years.
Virat Kohli missed out on a record-equalling 49th ODI century that would have taken him to level with Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time list, but his 95 was crucial to India keeping their unbeaten run going in World Cup 2023. On a tricky pitch, against a world-class attack in New Zealand, Virat Kohli held the innings together after Rohit Sharma gave a sensational start to the chase on a foggy evening in Dharamsala.
Days after he notched up his 48th ODI hundred in a successful run chase against Bangladesh in Pune, Virat Kohli was looking set for another hundred. However, the former captain got out for 95, while trying to hit the winning runs after bringing down the required runs to single digits. Kohli got out while trying to pull a Matt Henry short delivery into the orbit in the 4th ball of the 48th over.
Ravindra Jadeja, who chipped in with an unbeaten 39 off 44 balls in his first batting outing in the World Cup, hit the winning runs for India.
“Nothing much to say about Virat. We’ve seen him do this for so many years. He backs himself to do the job. Towards the end there was a bit of pressure with a few wickets lost, but Kohli and Jadeja took us home,” Rohit Sharma said.
Virat Kohli 48th fifty-plus successful score
It was Virat Kohli’s 48th fifty-plus score in a successful run chase for India in ODI cricket. The star batter has had 23 ODI hundred in successful run chases, 9 more than the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli also went past Rohit in the batting charts in 2023 World Cup as the former captain took his tally to 354 runs in 5 matches.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma also heaped praise on Mohammed Shami as the veteran pacer picked up a 5-wicket haul in his first match in the tournament. Shami’s figures of 5 for 54, which included a terrific late spell, as India restricted New Zealand to 273 after a sensational 159-run stand between Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra.
“Shami took the opportunity with both hands. He’s got class and so much experience and he used the conditions really well. At one stage NZ put up a big partnership there. Dew came in as well. But we have to give credits to the bowlers in the back end,” Rohit added.
India stormed to the top of the World Cup points table with their 5th win in as many matches. India is the only unbeaten team in the tournament, but Rohit said the focus should be on the job in hand.
“Good start to the tournament but the job is half done,” he added. Stay tuned for more updates on the World Cup 2023 and India’s remarkable journey in the tournament.
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