In a highly anticipated match in Dharamsala, both teams entered with perfect records, having won each of their first four matches in the tournament. Meanwhile, their competitors struggled with inconsistency and underperformance.
Daryl Mitchell's remarkable century, scoring 130 runs, set New Zealand a target of 274. However, India's captain, Virat Kohli, played a crucial role with a remarkable 95, guiding his team to chase down the total with 12 balls to spare.
From the very beginning, India asserted its dominance, making early breakthroughs in the New Zealand batting lineup. Devon Conway was dismissed for a duck, and Will Young managed only 17 runs. At one point, the Black Caps were struggling at 19-2 in just 8.1 overs. However, an impressive partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell, worth 159 runs for the third wicket, revived New Zealand's hopes.
Ravindra contributed 75 runs from 87 balls, but his departure triggered a series of wickets, leaving only one other New Zealand player, Glenn Phillips (23), reaching double figures. Mitchell remained steadfast and managed to score a brilliant 130 from 127 deliveries before getting out on the penultimate ball of the innings, resulting in New Zealand being bowled out for 273. Mohammed Shami shone with the ball, taking 5 wickets for 54 runs, setting the stage for India's batsmen.
India's openers provided a strong start with a partnership of 71 runs from 67 balls. Rohit Sharma (46), Shubman Gill (26), and Shreyas Iyer (33) all contributed to the chase, bringing India to 128-3 in just 21.1 overs. However, it was Virat Kohli's masterful 95, featuring eight fours and two sixes, that made all the difference. KL Rahul added 27 runs, and Ravindra Jadeja contributed an unbeaten 39 to support their captain.
As a result of this victory, India now holds a comfortable six-point lead over Pakistan, who are currently in fifth place in the tournament standings. The next challenge for India is a crucial showdown with the defending champions, England.
