"Hell of a knock" - Fans react to Daryl Mitchell's gritty 134 in IND vs NZ semi-final
New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell once again delivered a sensational knock under pressure. He set the stage on fire with a gutsy 134-run knock in the 2023 World Cup semi-final against India at the Wankhde Stadium on Wednesday.
The Blackcaps had to chase down an imposing 398-run target to make it to their third consecutive final. They were in deep trouble with openers Devon Conaway and Rachin Ravindra back in the hut early.
Mitchell, the lynchpin of New Zealand's middle order, steered the team out of choppy waters. He stitched together an 181-run partnership for the third wicket alongside skipper Kane Williamson.
While Williamson departed after scoring 69 runs, Mitchell continued his onslaught to keep his side in the game. His fighting knock finally came to an end in the 46th over after he perished while trying to play a flick shot off Mohammed Shami's bowling.
New Zealand ultimately suffered a heartbreaking 70-run defeat. Despite that, Daryl Mitchell received widespread praise for his wonderful batting exploits in the crucial encounter.
Here are some of the top reactions on social media:
It is worth mentioning that this was Daryl Mitchell's second century against India in the ongoing 2023 World Cup. He scored 130 runs against Rohit Sharma and company in the group-stage encounter in Dharamsala. However, his tons went in vain on both occasions, as New Zealand ended up on the losing side.
"Proud of the guys to stay in the fight" - Kane Williamson after New Zealand's 70-run loss to India in 2023 World Cup semi-final
Speaking at the post-match presentation, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson reserved high praise for Team India, calling them a top side. He also lauded his players for fighting hard in the contest.
Williamson said:
"Firstly, congrats to India. They have played great cricket throughout. They played their best game today. They are a top side and played top cricket. Credit to the guys. Proud of the guys to stay in the fight. Disappointing to go out in the knock-out stages. The effort was there. India are a top-class side. The world-class batters just came out and batted beautifully. They got to 400. Was tough as the ball was moving around. Credit to India, they outplayed us. Nice to be out there to give us a chance."
Mohammed Shami was named the Player of the Match for his brilliant seven-wicket haul. Earlier in the match, Virat Kohli notched up his 50th ODI century, going past Sachin Tendulkar's 49 centuries in ODIs. Shreyas Iyer also chipped in with a valuable 105-run knock.