India break New Zealand jinx to qualify for 2023 World Cup final

Rohit Sharma-led India finally broke their knockout jinx against New Zealand in ICC event knockout matches as they defeated the Kiwis by 70 runs in the first semi-final of the 2023 World Cup in Mumbai on Wednesday. World Cup 2023:  News |  Schedule |  Results |  Points table Centuries from Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer had led India to 397 after the hosts won the toss and opted to bat. In reply, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell (134) and skipper Kane Williamson (69) led a fightback, but Mohammed Shami (7/57) shone with the ball to see the Kiwis off for 327. India will face the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and Australia in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad.

The Men in Blue had never beaten New Zealand in a knockout match of an ICC event in the previous three meetings and will now look to clinch their third ODI World Cup which will need them to break another jinx. India’s last triumph in a major ICC tournament was when they defeated hosts England in the 2013 Champions Trophy in Birmingham. Since then, they have reached the knockout stages of ICC tournaments multiple times, but it is that piece of silverware that has eluded them. IND vs NZ: Rohit credits India for staying calm during semi-final India lost the 2014 T20 World Cup final to Sri Lanka, and a year later, they would go on to suffer a defeat to Australia in the 2015 ODI World Cup semi-finals. It was another heartbreak for the Men in Blue when they hosted the 2016 T20 World Cup, going down to West Indies in the semi-finals. India would go on to make the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy in England but would collapse for just 158 while looking to chase down Pakistan’s total of 334 in the summit clash. Two years later, India would go on to suffer a heartbreak in the 2019 World Cup semi-finals, when that run-out of MS Dhoni by Martin Guptill would help New Zealand eventually knock India out at Old Trafford. India’s 2021 T20 World Cup campaign is another one that the Men in Blue would prefer to forget.  Defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand in the Super 12 stage meant even three wins in their next three games would not be enough for India to progress to the knockout stage. It was only earlier that year, in June, when India would endure a forgettable World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, losing to Kiwis by eight wickets. Although India would go on to reach the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, the Men in Blue would suffer a 10-wicket defeat to eventual champions England, with Alex Hales (86*) and Jos Bittler (80*) helping England chase down 169. India had another opportunity to break the ICC trophy drought earlier this year when they faced Australia in the WTC Final. After a few intriguing days of Test cricket, India were set a mammoth target of 444 by the Aussies. However, India would go on to succumb to the pressure of chasing a big total, eventually being dismissed for 234.