India extended their unbeaten run at the ongoing 2023 World Cup, defeating Netherlands by 160 runs in their final league stage fixture, in Bengaluru on Sunday. Chasing 411, Netherlands were bowled out for 250 in 47.5 overs as Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took two-wicket hauls.
Initially, India won the toss and opted to bat. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave the hosts a bright start, with half-centuries. The India captain smacked 61 runs off 54 balls and Gill slammed 51 off 32 deliveries. Batting at no. 3, Virat Kohli climbed to the top of the run charts, with another half-century (51 off 56 balls). The trio set up the perfect platform for no. 4 and no. 5 batters Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul.
Iyer hammered 128* off 94 deliveries, packed with 11 fours and four sixes. Meanwhile, Rahul clattered 102 off 94 balls, including 10 fours and five sixes. The wicketkeeper-batter departed in the fifth ball of the final over and Iyer was unbeaten as India posted 410/4 in 50 overs. The pair also set up a 208-run partnership, which become the highest fourth-wicket partnership for India in World Cup history, surpassing MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina’s 196* in 2015 vs Zimbabwe in Auckland.
Speaking to Crictracker, Pakistan legend Shoaib Malik pointed out Rahul’s importance to Rahul Dravid and also labelled him as the ‘best no. 5 in world cricket.’ Rahul’s versatility has been key for India. He can don the wicketkeeper role, which he has been doing in this tournament, and also bat at anywhere in the order, from opening to no. 5.
“The best at No 5 in the world cricket. Klassen (Heinrich) needs a base to get going. But if you compare, India have got the best batter at 5, who can play in any sort of situation. If India lose two or three wickets early, he is someone, who can play according to the situation. He can finish the match, can improvise, can play with a good strike rate, and we have seen it today. He is good against spinners as well as the pacers. He picks the gaps and plays the field. Against Australia, we have seen, he was the one who finished the match,” said Malik.
India are the only unbeaten team in this World Cup, and face New Zealand in their first semi-final match, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. Both sides faced each other in the previous semi-final in 2019, when New Zealand won and then lost to England in the final.
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