IND vs NZ: Virat Kohli's milestone 300th ODI was overshadowed by New Zealand's Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips, as the star batter fell for just 11 off 14 balls. Phillips, a livewire in the field, pulled off a breathtaking catch at point, leaving Kohli in disbelief. After losing the toss and put to bat first, India's top order crumbled early, with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Kohli all back in the pavilion before they could make an impact.
After completing the catch, Phillips rised up to his feet with a huge smile on his face. The Indian fans were shocked and stunned in silence, struggling to understand what just happened in front of them. Kohli’s reaction said it all—pure disbelief. Replays confirmed Phillips' brilliance, capturing the moment he soared through the air to complete an astonishing grab. Watch the video here...
Moments earlier, Dinesh Karthik had called Phillips the best fielder in the world, and the catch he took reinforced that claim. (IND vs NZ: Live Updates from India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy match)
The ball was cut hard and flat by Kohli. Phillips' reaction was on point as he fully extending his right hand in the air and snatched it out of thin air.
Also Read - IND vs NZ: Virat Kohli makes 300th ODI appearance, becomes 7th Indian to scale milestone
Earlier in the tournament opener, Phillips took an outrageous catch to dismiss Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan in their match in Karachi.
Coming to the India match again, Kohli became only the seventh cricketer to represent India in 300 or more ODIs. Sachin Tendulkar leads the way with 463 ODIs – the most by any player in world cricket.
Rohit Sharma recovered from a hamstring issue to lead India once again, albeit losing his 10th successive toss. In all, it is the 13th straight toss India has lost since the 2023 Cricket World Cup final – the longest streak in this format.
India made one change – pacer Harshit Rana was been rested with spinner Varun Chakravarthy coming in, as part of a four-spinner attack.
The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has been two-paced throughout the tournament. It is expected to be the same for this game as well, with evening dew potentially aiding the chasing side.
New Zealand has also made one change with batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell in for Devon Conway.
Both India and New Zealand have already confirmed qualification for the semifinals from Group A. India beat Bangladesh and Pakistan, both by six wickets, respectively, at the same venue. The 2013 champions are playing all their matches in Dubai, after the Indian government refused permission to travel to Pakistan.
Thus, India will play its semifinal in Dubai on Tuesday. If it qualifies for the final, the match will also be hosted in Dubai on Mar. 9, otherwise it will be played in Lahore.
New Zealand beat Pakistan in Karachi by 60 runs and then beat Bangladesh in Rawalpindi by five wickets to confirm its spot in the last four. The Black Caps will play their semifinal in Lahore on Wednesday. From Group B, South Africa and Australia have qualified for the semifinals.
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