Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:38am on 15 Nov 2023,Wednesday Sports
Rohit Sharma went on another explosive rampage to give India another blistering start after they opted to bat first against New Zealand. Rohit was in a merciless mood, clobbering the New Zealand bowlers all over the park to get India off to a flying start at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. His dazzling 47 off 29 balls included four 6s and four 4s before he fell to Tim Southee, caught Kane Williamson. India crossed the 100-run mark in just 12 overs. Both teams are unchanged from their last group matches. The semi is a repeat of the heartbreaking 2019 ODI World Cup exit when Dhoni's run out ended India's campaign in the final overs. India topped the group stage but lost in the semis last time. Former India coach Ravi Shastri shared poignant insights into the aftermath of India's 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand, revealing that the entire team, including MS Dhoni, was emotionally shattered. Shastri recalled Dhoni locking himself away, expressing the pain of stumbling in the knockout stage. As India faces New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semi-final, Shastri believes the team, wiser from past experience, is poised for redemption, especially with the advantage of playing at home and recent victories against the Kiwis. This time Rohit's explosive start has given India early momentum as they aim to avoid a repeat semi exit versus New Zealand.