Recap of special moments from the IND vs NZ 2023 World Cup semi-final

India beat New Zealand by 70 runs in the first semi-final of the 2023 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. With the win, the Men in Blue reached the final of the event for the first time since 2011, when they went on to lift the trophy at home. Team India were ousted in the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2015 and 2019.

Batting first after winning the toss, the hosts put up a mammoth 397/4 on the board. Virat Kohli notched up his record 50th ODI ton, going past Sachin Tendulkar’s tally in the presence of the Master Blaster in the stands. Shreyas Iyer also slammed his second consecutive ton.

In reply, Daryl Mitchell slammed 134 off 119 balls, while Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson hit 69 off 73. However, Indian pacer Mohammed Shami (7/57) continued his golden run, registering the best figures by an Indian bowler in ODI history.

Apart from some great cricket, the India-New Zealand semi-final contest also witnessed the presence of England football legend David Beckham apart from a host of Bollywood celebrities.

Here’s a recap of some of the best moments from the India vs New Zealand 2023 World Cup semi-final.

Beckham and Tendulkar interacted with Kohli ahead of the game.

The video of the heartwarming exchanges between the sporting superstars went viral on social media.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s assault on Kiwi bowlers yet again set the tone of the innings. He slammed four fours and four sixes in his 47 off 29 to get the team off to a rollicking start.

Kohli created history by reaching his 50th ODI ton and choosing a big occasion like the semi-final of the World Cup to do it. The celebrations that followed were bound to go viral. He bowed down to Tendulkar and exchanged flying kisses with Anushka Sharma.

It may have been Kohli’s day at Wankhede, but Shreyas Iyer also made his presence felt with his 105-run knock off 70 balls, clobbering four fours and eight sixes - his second hundred in successive matches.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya may have been ruled out of the 2023 World Cup due to injury. He was, however, seen in attendance as an audience at the Wankhede Stadium, enjoying some nariyal paani (coconut water) in his endeavor to beat the Mumbai heat.

A host of Bollywood celebrities like Ranbir Kapoor, Siddharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, and John Abraham, among others, enjoyed the action in the India vs New Zealand 2023 World Cup semi-final from the stands.

After India posted a massive score, keeper-batter KL Rahul took a brilliant catch off Shami’s bowling to dismiss New Zealand opener Devon Conway (13). Rahul had earlier smashed 39* off 20, hitting five fours and two sixes, in what was a blistering cameo.

New Zealand went down fighting in the chase of 398. Mitchell, who scored his second hundred against India in the 2023 World Cup, slammed the biggest six of the tournament, tonking Ravindra Jadeja high into the stands at Wankhede Stadium.

When New Zealand is your opponent, there is bound to be some sportsmanship on display. Here Ishan Kishan is seen lending a helping hand to Mitchell after the Kiwi batter suffered some cramps.

Shami dropped a sitter offered by New Zealand captain Williamson in the field, he was absolutely sensational with the ball yet again, claiming seven of the 10 wickets to fall, breaking a few more records along the way.

Deservedly, the pacer picked up the last wicket, having Lockie Ferguson caught behind as the Men in Blue sealed their place in the 2023 World Cup final.

The mutual respect between Williamson and Kohli was on display again as the two shared a warm hug after the game. The two cricketing superstars embraced each other after the 2019 semi-final as well.

Virat Kohli walks back after being dismissed. (Pic: BCCI)

We end with this image of Kohli walking up the stairs after being dismissed in the semi-final against New Zealand. The crowd’s reaction as the Indian batter heads back to the pavilion at the Wankhede Stadium makes it clear they do not want to miss out on a slice of history.

This image might as well go on to become one of the iconic representations of the glorious moments in Indian cricket folklore.