Virat Kohli played another match-winning innings in a tense run chase as India finally defeated New Zealand in a World Cup match for their fifth win of the tournament in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Kohli hit a sparkling 95 and received excellent support from all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (39) as the hosts chased down the 274-run target with four wickets and 12 balls in hand.
The conditions proved challenging throughout the day. The poor state of the outfield meant India's fielders were unwilling to dive near the boundary ropes. Then in the evening, a thick blanket of fog engulfed the stadium, suspending play. The temperature plummeted to less than 15º Celsius in the evening, in stark contrast to the stifling heat and humidity of Mumbai where England and South Africa players struggled.
It all added to the drama in what was the first close game of the World Cup.
India captain Rohit Sharma and fellow opener Shubman Gill continued their good form, adding 71 inside 12 overs with some crisp stroke play.
However, the introduction of pacer Lockie Ferguson brought joy for the Kiwis as he castled Sharma (46) off an inside edge and then had Gill (26) caught at third man off an upper cut.
But Kohli steadied the ship, as he has done a number of times in tense chases. He got good support from Shreyas Iyer (33), who fell to the short ball again.
The situation became tense for the hosts as KL Rahul got out lbw for 27 and Suryakumar Yadav was run out after a mix up with Kohli.
But the last recognised batsman Jadeja provided excellent company for Kohli, remaining unbeaten and hitting the winning runs off Matt Henry.
Kohli had hoped to hit the winning shot that would have also brought up his century. Like in the previous match against Bangladesh, Kohli refused a single while approaching his century in the 48th over. But this time, he was caught at midwicket the very next ball to add another twist to the tale.
But Jadeja hit a boundary one ball later to earn India their first World Cup win over the Kiwis since the 2003 edition.
Earlier, India's fielders were unusually sloppy in the first half of the innings as they dropped three chances.
Daryl Mitchell was one of the beneficiaries as he hit a sparkling century to guide New Zealand to 273 all out.
The Black Caps had lost their openers early but Mitchell (130) and Rachin Ravindra (75) put on 159 to get the innings back on track.
They looked set for a 300-plus total after being well placed on 205-3 in the 37th over. But from there, India's pacers pulled things back brilliantly.
Fast bowler Mohammad Shami, playing his first match of the tournament, had picked up a wicket off his first ball and then returned to put the brakes on New Zealand's batting.
Shami had Ravindra and Mitchell caught down the ground while he castled Mitchell Santner and Henry with deliveries that tailed in late.
Shami returned brilliant figures of 5-54, becoming the first Indian to take two five-wicket hauls in World Cups.
India were without all-rounder Hardik Pandya, which meant they had to bolster both their batting and bowling, bringing in Shami and Suryakumar.
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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The five pillars of Islam
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
