[Watch] "You guys are the best for making it to the World Cup finals"- Floyd Mayweather's message to India after they beat New Zealand in semi-final
Former American boxer Floyd Mayweather congratulated Team India after they reached the final of the 2023 World Cup.
Men in Blue got past a spirited New Zealand side in the first semi-final on Wednesday (November 15) with a 70-run victory at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The Indian team coasted along with crushing victories in the league phase, where they were unbeaten in nine games. They carried on with the same momentum and notched a mammoth total of 397 in the first innings of the semis.
For the first time in the tournament, they were challenged while bowling. New Zealand batters Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson played well by building a threatening partnership.
However, Team India's bowlers and fielders managed to maintain their composure in the pressure situation. They went on to defeat the Kiwis side eventually to reach the final of the ODI World Cup for the fourth time.
After the game, a fan shared a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) to give everyone a glimpse of Floyd Mayweather's message to the Indian team. Floyd extended hearty congratulations to the team for reaching the final, saying:
"I want to say to the Indian cricket team, Congratulations. You guys are the best for making it to the World Cup finals."
India will win the World Cup: Ravi Shastri
Former Indian head coach recently predicted that Rohit Sharma's team will go on and win the 2023 World Cup. He hailed them for their consistent performances and advised them to remain composed and do the same things they have done till now in the final. In an event in Chennai, Ravi Shastri said:
"India will win the World Cup. They will start as favorites in the final. They have played outstandingly well. I think they will be relaxed. They are playing at home, and it's a very experienced side, and they don't need to do anything different.
He continued:
"They just need to be composed and calm, handling and soaking in the pressure. You (India) don't want to be over-excited just because it's a final. You (India) know what your roles are, and the good thing is this team doesn't depend on one or two players. There are eight or nine players performing game after game, so that's a brilliant sign."
Team India will square off against Australia in the summit clash of the mega tournament on Sunday (November 19) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.