India suffered a massive blow in their ICC World Cup 2023 semi-final against New Zealand as opener Shubman Gill had to retire hurt after struggling with cramps in the sapping Mumbai heat at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
Gill had to be taken off the field in the 23rd over when he was batting superbly on 79 off 65 balls. The 23-year-old can come back to bat again if he is feeling fit enough and recovers in time to resume his innings.
India's score was 164 for 2 in 22.4 overs when Gill limped off the field and Shreyas Iyer joined Virat Kohli (35*) in the middle.
Rohit comes out all guns blazing
Gill and captain Rohit Sharma got the Men in Blue off to a flying start after the latter won the toss and elected to bat first.
Rohit smashed 47 off 29 balls with four boundaries and four sixes to take India to 71 for no loss before the Hitman got out to Tim Southee in the 9th over.
Rohit broke Chris Gayle's record for the most sixes in ODI World Cup history with 50 maximums.
Gill scores a crucial fifty
But Gill carried on to score his 13th ODI fifty to carry on with his purple patch in this tournament. Gill and Kohli added 93 runs for the second wicket before the former hobbled off the field.
India and New Zealand are locking horns in a World Cup semi-final for the second time in succession after 2019 when the Black Caps defeated Virat Kohli's team in Manchester.
