Mumbai: India got off to a flying start as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill attacked Trent Boult and Tim Southee in the all important semi-final against New Zeland at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Cricket Stadium. India put up 47/0 at the end of five overs, with Rohit Sharma breaking the records for the most number of sixes in ICC Cricket World Cups, going past West Indies' Chris Gayle.
Earlier, team India skipper Rohit Sharma has won the toss and elected to bat first against New Zealand in the high-voltage 2023 World Cup semi-final clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Despite the rumors about the Wankhede surface being slow, India have gone with an unchanged side instead of opting for an extra spinner.
Hours before the high-voltage semi-final clash, reports had been floating about the Indian management allegedly asking for a slow pitch to have their spinners come into play. According to the reports, the pitch for the final at the Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad could also be slow if the hosts makes it there.
It's worth noting that the Men in Blue finished the league stage at the top, winning all 9 matches fairly comfortably. New Zealand, meanwhile, was slightly fortunate to reach the semi-finals, given their higher net run-rate compared to Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the Kiwis suffered 4 consecutive losses, including to India, after starting their campaign with four successive wins. The Black Caps have also gone ahead with an unchanged side.
Playing XI of both India and New Zealand:
India playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.
New Zealand playing XI: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson(c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Mark Chapman, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.
