Anushka Sharma was there… 8 years ago at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where playing his second World Cup semifinal, Virat Kohli was dismissed for 1 against Australia. What followed was months was torture as the Indian public held Anushka, then Kohli’s partner, responsible for what happened as India lost by 95 runs. Anushka was trolled left, right and centre for the next several months, even years and limited her appearance in her pursuit to show support for Kohli and the Indian cricket team is general. But as time went by, all wounds healed.
However, Anushka’s worst fears almost came true again on Wednesday as Kohli survived a close appeal just two balls into his innings against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinal. An in-cutter from Kohli rapped Kohli on the pads prompting New Zealand to go up immediately. Even though umpire Richard Illingworth gave it not out, Kane Williamson, after a quick chat with his players, signalled the T. India had just lost Rohit Sharma earlier in the over for a quickfire 47; another wicket here could have really hurt India although.
But thankfully for India, Kohli survived. New Zealand lost the DRS in the first stage itself as the ultra-edge showed a small spike as the ball reached the bat. The ball-tracking wasn’t even needed. Although Kohli knew he was safe, a wide smile appeared on his face. The camera immediately panned towards Anushka, who folded her hands in respite and breathed a huge sigh of relied as Kohli got off the mark with a boundary.
Watch the video below:
Also Read: India vs New Zealand Live Score World Cup 2023 Semi-Final
Rohit and Shubman Gill once again got India off to a breezy start after the skipper showed no hesitation in opting to bat. The wicket a bit two-paced, but it didn’t matter to Rohit, who continuing his blazing form in the World Cup smacked four fours and four sixes off just 29 balls. Rohit began the first over with a couple of boundaries off Trent Boult and then batting with the same template against Tim Southee. Even Mitchell Santner, known to puncture India’s scoring rate, wasn’t spared. With a four and six, Rohit brought up India’s fifty in 5.2 overs. This after he had demolished Boult and Southee for three sixes.
Set for a half-century, Rohit fell against the run of play though, skiing a slower one from Southee as Williamson completed a magnificent catch running all the way from mid off to almost long-off. It was the seventh time Southee dismissed Rohit in ODIs. The Wankhede went silent albeit it was only for a brief period as after being slowed down a tad, Gill and Kohli took India forward, brining up the 100 and Shubman creaming his 13th ODI fifty.
