Mohammed Shami five-fer restricts New Zealand to 273 despite Daryl Mitchell’s ton

Daryl Mitchell scored a brilliant 130 off 127 balls, but Mohammed Shami claimed 5/54 as India held New Zealand to 273 after winning the toss and bowling first in the 2023 World Cup match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.

New Zealand were well placed at 205/3 in the 37th over courtesy of a 159-run third-wicket stand between Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra (75 off 87). However, India fought back superbly at the death as New Zealand lost seven wickets for the addition of just 68 runs.

Earlier, India got off to a great start as Mohammed Siraj dismissed Devon Conway for 0. The Kiwi batter flicked a full delivery only for Shreyas Iyer to take a brilliant diving catch at forward square leg. Shami, playing his first game of the World Cup, then struck with his first ball as Will Young (17) dragged a delivery that nipped back in slightly onto his stumps.

Mitchell and Ravindra, however, put New Zealand in a strong position with a big partnership. A special feature of their alliance was the manner in which they attacked Kuldeep Yadav (2/73), very well of the fact that India were playing only five frontline bowlers in Hardik Pandya’s absence.

In the 19th over, Kuldeep’s second, Ravindra and Mitchell launched the spinner for one six each. The bowler never looked threatening after that as both batters eased past their respective half-centuries. Ravindra was adjudged lbw to Siraj in the 29th over when he was batting on 61. However, he took the DRS and survived as the ball was pitched outside leg.

The fine stand ended when Ravindra chipped an off-cutter from Shami to long-on. Mitchell struck Bumrah for two boundaries in the 36th over as he raced towards three figures. Kuldeep, however, trapped Tom Latham (5) lbw with a flatter delivery to slow down proceedings. Mitchell got to a well-deserved hundred by guiding Bumrah for a single to deep point in the 41st over.

India fought back strongly at the death with a few tight overs, which resulted in the dismissal of Glenn Phillips (23). The New Zealand batter sliced an attempted big hit off Kuldeep high up in the air and Rohit Sharma took a well-judged catch. Mark Chapman (6) was then caught, miscuing a pull off Bumrah to end the 47th over.

In the next over, Shami knocked out Mitchell Santner’s (1) off-stump with a brute of a yorker. He was on a hat-trick when he cleaned up Matt Henry (0) next ball. Mitchell launched Shami for a six and four in the last before being caught in the deep, becoming the Indian pacer’s fifth victim.

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Team India have a forgettable day in the field against New Zealand

The Men in Blue were very poor in the field on Sunday, dropping a number of chances. In the 11th over of the innings, the usually safe Jadeja dropped a sitter offered by Ravindra off Shami’s bowling at backward point.

In the 30th over of the innings, Mitchell slashed at a delivery outside off from Jadeja and got a big edge, but the ball ended up hitting KL Rahul’s pads as the keeper failed to judge the catch.

A couple of overs later, Mitchell offered a simple catch to Bumrah in the deep as the batter looked to take on Kuldeep again. However, the fielder spilled a straightforward chance, running to his left from long-off.

Apart from dropped catches, Team India’s overall ground fielding was also sloppy.