In the all important World Cup 2023 semi-final clash against New Zealand, batsman Shubman Gill was forced to retire hurt. It has been ery hot and sultry day, not much breeze blowing in hasn't helped things. India will hope it's just a bout of cramps. India will hope that Gill will recover well enough to be able to come out and bat later on. Team India commenced their innings with a promising start, courtesy of the dynamic duo of Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Their partnership provided the team with a rapid start, injecting excitement into the match. However, despite his valiant efforts, the renowned Hitman fell short of achieving his half-century, accumulating a commendable 47 runs before being caught out by Tim Southee, off the bowling of Kane Williamson. Earlier, India won the toss and opted to bat first. Speaking at the toss, captain Rohit Sharma recalled India’s loss in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, highlighting the consistency of the Black Caps.
\“We are gonna bat first. Looks like a good pitch. Looks like on the slower side. Whatever we do, we need to do well. I think it was back in 2019 when we played the semis. NZ is one of the most consistent sides. Very important day. Constantly, talking about how important it is about turning up on that day. It is about controlling the controllables. Same team,” Rohit said at the toss. Kane Williamson, on the other hand, mentioned that the Kiwis would also have batted first but will look to do well with the ball. “We would have batted first. Looks like a used pitch. We would want to do well with the ball and then hopefully, some dew later. Amazing occasion. Four years ago, similar situation but a different location. They have been playing some good cricket. Always a building phase between the tournaments. Need to assess what is in front of you when the tournament starts. We are going with the same team from the previous match,” Williamson said.
