In the final league match of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, India easily trounced the Netherlands by 160 runs, as was predicted. The competition marked the ‘Men in Blue”s tenth straight victory. For the Indian supporters, Virat Kohli first wicket in nine years in ODI cricket was the cherry on top.
After deciding to bat first, India scored 410/4 on Sunday in front of a raucous crowd at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Netherlands, in response, were bowled out for 250. Following the conclusion of the first inning, the outcome of the match seemed inevitable because it would never be simple to chase 411 against a bowling team as hot as India. Still, few would have guessed that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, rather than Mohammed Shami, who is currently playing well, would be listed in the wickets column.
In the prior games, too, fans had insisted that Virat Kohli get the ball.
Prior to the Netherlands game, captain Rohit had only made three deliveries with him. The fervent Bengaluru audience yelled “Kohli ko bowling do [Give Kohli the ball],” and Rohit complied.
Dutch skipper Scott Edwards and Sybrand Engelbrecht shared a 39-run fourth-wicket stand till Kohli dismissed Edwards in his second over, caught behind down the leg-side. KL Rahul sprinted to his left to accept a well-executed catch. Kohli and his colleagues were ecstatic, as the audience sent out a cheer.
Cricket fans experienced a wave of nostalgia after witnessing Kohli’s dismissal of Kane Williamson in the 2008 U-19 World Cup semifinals. The Delhi player bowled a delivery that was identical to the one he bowled to Edwards, but missed Williamson’s willow. But then Shreevats Goswami lost his footing and stumped the Kiwi batter cleanly.
Scenes on Wednesday at Wankhede pic.twitter.com/iqZoLSJ5aE
— Vinay Mallenahalli (@Semperfiunited) November 12, 2023
On Wednesday, November 15, India will play New Zealand in a semi-final match in Mumbai. These two teams faced off in the semifinals of the previous World Cup in Manchester, where New Zealand prevailed by 18 runs.
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