Kathmandu: Virat Kohli scored 95 runs as India chased down its target of 274 to beat New Zealand in a match between the only two unbeaten teams at the Cricket World Cup on Sunday.
Tournament host India won by four wickets after reaching its target with 12 balls left in Dharamsala, finishing on 274-6.
New Zealand was dismissed for 273 in 50 overs. Kohli came close to tying the record for most ODI hundreds, held by countryman Sachin Tendulkar with 49.
Kohli went for a six to get the record – and clinch the victory – but was caught near the boundary. He now has 69 ODI half-centuries.
It was India’s fifth straight win to open the tournament and it tops the table. New Zealand is second after its first loss.
Pacer Mohammed Shami’s splendid return of 5-54 in 10 overs undid the Black Caps’ innings and restricted it to a sub-300 score, despite Daryl Mitchell scoring 130 off 127 balls for New Zealand, including nine fours and five sixes. Mitchell put on 159 runs off 152 balls for the third wicket with Rachin Ravindra, who contributed 75 runs.
Shami triggered New Zealand’s collapse as it lost six wickets for 68 runs in the last 13 overs.
Mitchell then joined Ravindra at the crease and the duo added 100 off 97 balls.
Both batsmen enjoyed lives – Jadeja had dropped Ravindra on 12 runs off Shami in the 11th over. It was a rare miss for Jadeja, usually an exceptional fielder.
Jadeja suffered further as wicketkeeper Lokesh Rahul dropped a tough nick from Mitchell in the 30th over. He was on 59 not out. Jadeja returned 0-48 in 10 overs. Meanwhile, Ravindra and Mitchell went hard on Kuldeep Yadav, hitting him for four sixes as the wrist spinner proved expensive.
New Zealand pegged back India across the middle overs before Shami provided the breakthrough in the 34th over.
Ravindra was out caught at long on and Yadav trapped Tom Latham lbw for five. After 37 overs, New Zealand was 205-4.
Mitchell brought up his first World Cup hundred – and fifth overall – off 100 balls. He held one end together as India fought back.
Yadav struck again, this time removing Glenn Phillips for 23. Mark Chapman holed out off Jasprit Bumrah for six.
Shami bowled Mitchell Santner (1) and Matt Henry (0) off successive balls as New Zealand collapsed to 260-8.
Mitchell was out caught in the final over as Shami picked up his second World Cup five-for after 5-69 against England in 2019.
“We had set the platform around the 35-over mark,” Mitchell said. “We knew India has got a world-class bowling unit and we wanted to cash in at the end. (But) the way India bowled was special. The way they took wickets after 40 overs, that held us back a bit.”
