The highly anticipated first semi-final of the World Cup 2023 is just a few hours away, featuring a clash between cricket powerhouses India and New Zealand. Despite India’s flawless performance in the league stage, and securing victories in all matches, the road to the finals remains a challenging task.
A significant factor contributing to this challenge revolves around the performance of key players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom need to rewrite their history for India to triumph in the semi-final and advance to the coveted final.
The focal point of concern lies in the batting contributions of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. In the ongoing World Cup 2023, Virat Kohli has impressively notched up 7 fifty-plus scores in 9 matches, while Rohit Sharma has accumulated 4 fifty-plus scores with the bat. However, the pivotal question looms large: can these two stalwarts replicate their stellar performances in the crucial semi-final against New Zealand, securing India’s ticket to the finals?
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The apprehension arises from historical setbacks in the ODI World Cup semi-finals for both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Virat Kohli, despite his consistent form in the tournament, has faced struggles in previous ODI World Cup semi-finals. In three instances, his cumulative score in the semi-finals stands at a mere 11 runs—9 runs in the 2011 ODI World Cup semi-final and one run each in the semi-finals of the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
Similarly, Rohit Sharma has encountered a parallel challenge in the ODI World Cup semi-finals, having played two so far. His total runs in these crucial encounters amount to 35, with 34 runs in the 2015 World Cup semi-final and a single run in the 2019 World Cup semi-final.
Despite their stellar form in the 2023 World Cup, the looming question remains whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can overcome their historical semi-final woes. If they manage to rewrite this narrative, India’s path to the final against New Zealand will likely be smooth, fueled by the formidable performances of these cricketing maestros.
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