Consistency, control and execution are more important: Walsh

India's Virat Kohli scored a record 50th one-day international hundred when he reached three figures in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Kohli, 35, reached his century -- his third of the tournament -- with a two off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, having faced 106 balls, hitting eight fours and a six, to break the record of 49 ODI hundreds he had shared with Sachin Tendulkar.

He did so on his former India team-mate's home ground, with Tendulkar among those applauding at the Wankhede Stadium as Kohli bowed towards his childhood hero and fellow 2011 World Cup-winner.

This was Kohli's 279th ODI innings, with the former India captain having also scored a further 71 fifties in addition to his 50 hundreds.

Dropped on 107, Kohli was eventually out for 117 when he pulled Tim Southee low to Devon Conway at deep square leg.

At that stage India, bidding to win a third World Cup title and second on home soil, were already well-placed for a huge total at 327-2 off 44 overs, with Shreyas Iyer 77 not out.

Kohli goes past Tendulkar's 673

India's Virat Kohli has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of 673-run tally in a single edition of the World Cup during the first semi-final in Mumbai against New Zealand today.

When Kohli nudged a single off Glenn Phillips to reach 80 in the 34th over, he went past Tendulkar's tally. 

Tendulkar had struck 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup in 11 matches at an average of 61.18.

Kohli hits first-ever Cricket World Cup knockout fifty

India's Virat Kohli has managed to hit his first-ever fifty in ICC ODI World Cup knockout stage during the first semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai today.

Shubman Gill struck a brisk 13th ODI fifty and along with Virat Kohli, continued to pile up the runs after India lost captain Rohit Sharma for a quickfire 47. Rohit and Gill put on 71 runs for the opening wicket, the skipper's knock including 4 fours and 4 sixes before Tim Southee gave New Zealand a much-needed breakthrough. Gill then kept up the pace, notching up 79 in 65 balls but he ended up having to retire hurt in the 23rd over.

Kohli's record in ICC ODI World Cup semi-final has been poor. He scored just 9 runs in the 2011 World Cup semifinal against Pakistan, and then he managed to score just 1 run in the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand. 
Earlier, India skipper Rohit Sharma surpassed West Indies' Chris Gayle as the player to hit the most number of sixes in World Cups. Rohit hit fifty sixes to surpass Gayle's tally of 49.

The World Cup semifinal between India and New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday was being played on a used pitch, sparking concerns the tournament hosts had tried to manipulate conditions in their favour.

Both Britain's Daily Mail and the ESPNCricinfo website reported the match was initially supposed to be played on pitch seven, the central strip at the Wankhede Stadium, a surface unused in the group stages.

However, the game was switched to pitch six, the surface used for South Africa's 229-run win over England on October 21, and India's 302-run victory over Sri Lanka on November 2.

According to the International Cricket Council's tournament playing conditions, the relevant ground authority -- in this case the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) - "is responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch" before any given match".

The Mail claimed the ICC's independent pitch consultant Andy Atkinson was frustrated by changes to pre-tournament plans.

They quoted a leaked email in which he speculated whether the pitch for Sunday's final in Ahmedabad "will be the first ever ICC CWC final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board".

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, speaking after India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat on Wednesday, said: "It's obviously a used surface but we'll try to make use of it with the ball first up and hopefully there's some dew later."

Used pitches generally aid spinners.

The semifinals of the 2019 World Cup in England were played on fresh pitches, but used strips were provided for the semifinals of last year's T20 World Cup in Australia.

On Wednesday, the ICC insisted there was nothing untoward with the change in pitch at the Wankhede.

"Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times," said a spokesperson.

"This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host.

"The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won't play well."

The winners of Wednesday's match will face either Australia or South Africa, who play in Kolkata on Thursday, in the final.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said Wednesday he had confidence in the integrity of the ICC's pitch process.

"Yeah, I saw that (the report)...obviously ICC have an independent pitch curator who manages that so I'm sure they are all over making sure it's fair for both teams," Cummins said.

"So far this tournament (on pitches) that we've played on I've not seen any issue."

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson commented at the toss of the first semi-final against India in Mumbai that the pitch was a used one. The pitch being used has come under controversy following reports that the BCCI has switched the pre-agreed upon pitch.

India won the toss and elected to bat and Williamson was hoping that a dew factor kick in during the evening to help his side's chase.

"We would have had a bat first as well. Obviously, a used surface and hopefully some dew in the evening. Looking forward to the challenge ahead. It should be a good game. Both teams have seen a variety of conditions and it's knockout cricket really," Williamson said at the toss.

Reports have suggested the pitch has been switched 'to a slower, lower strip' that will make life difficult for New Zealand pace attack while India's spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin will get good purchase. Ashwin however was left out of the playing eleven.

'It looks a good pitch, a little on the slower side but whatever we do, we have to do it well,' India skipper Rohit Sharma said at the toss.

Rohit led from the front with a blistering 47 in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Rohit, who won the toss at his Wankhede Stadium home ground, struck four fours and four sixes in just 29 balls.

But the 36-year-old, who has scored over 500 runs in the tournament, fell in sight of fifty when he skyed a drive off a Tim Southee cutter and was well caught by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, running back at mid-off.

Rohit's exit left India 71-1 in the ninth over.

"We are trying, but things are not happening for us," were the words uttered by a timid Nasum Ahmed after Bangladesh's eight-wicket thumping at the hands of England in the 2021 World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

After exiting the last T20 World Cup with six defeats from eight encounters, the promise from the Bangladesh team management was that at least initial steps towards building a structure for the T20 squad would be taken before the next T20 extravaganza, which is scheduled for October-November later this year.

However, it is clear from every vantage point that not only has that promise not materialised, but Bangladesh are still in a similarly sorry situation in the shortest format as they were a year ago.

The way Bangladesh played during their 35-run defeat to the West Indies in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series, which was considered the first step in preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia, characterised the truth that Nasum blurted out during that presser -- Bangladesh are unable to make things happen.

The way Bangladesh played during their 35-run defeat to the West Indies in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series, which was considered the first step in preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia, characterised the truth that Nasum blurted out during that presser -- Bangladesh are unable to make things happen.

In fact, things did not even change in terms of how Bangladesh view themselves in the format. Last time, Bangladesh went into the T20 World Cup with a false sense of achievement, having registered 'historic series wins' over Australia and New Zealand in favourable home conditions.

As it stands, a similar bubble surrounds the players this time. Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad talked boldly about the 'settled T20 eleven' that the Tigers now possess before leaving for the West Indies.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib struck a 52-ball 68 but could not quite avenge Powell hitting 23 in his final over with the ball. PHOTO:AFP

Having a settled playing eleven essentially means that players are aware of their roles. That did not seem to be the case when, chasing a challenging 194-run target in the second T20I, the likes of Anamul Haque, Liton Das and Mahmudullah returned to the pavilion in a hurry, leaving the middle-order with the job of saving face.

Looking at the way the hosts structured their innings, it can be observed that it took more than just Rovman Powell's muscles to reach the daunting total. Before Powell overwhelmed the Tigers with an unbeaten 61 off just 28 deliveries, opener Brandon King somewhat bided his time after the West Indies lost two early wickets. That effort saw him score a fifty but also set the stage for Powell's carnage.

No discernible approach could be gauged from the Tigers' camp. Even Shakib Al Hasan's unbeaten 68 was more an attempt to help Bangladesh reduce the margin of defeat to something less embarrassing.

With the hosts leading the series 1-0, the Bangladesh team moved from Dominica to Guyana, where the final and series-deciding T20I is set to be staged on July 7.

Bangladesh could spring a surprise and end up winning the final game to level the series. But that would in no way solve the problems that have persisted in the Tigers' camp, chief among them, their questionable approach in T20Is.

With another series victory overseas, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal took pride for this team as the Tigers whitewashed the West Indies, beating them by four wickets in the final game of the three-match series. 

"I am proud of our achievement. We have been always a good side at home but this is a back to back away series that we have won I think. I am very proud of the group. 

"It wasn't the easiest condition you know, though we had the better spinners probably. But the bowlers utilised it extremely well," Tamim said during the presentation ceremony after the match.

Key figures in the batting line-up like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Yasir Ali were absent in the squad for the campaign. However, the skipper believed that the remaining players rose to the occasion and made the best of the opportunity to fill the void.

"Definitely, we are missing three players from top five. So this was a great opportunity for these guys and I think they have stepped up, especially players like (Nurul Hasan) Sohan. Whenever he got an opportunity he was cool and calm, today was another example and he batted really well," the skipper said as he showered praise on his teammates.

"I think this is something good that is happening for Bangladesh cricket. The greatest takeaways from the series would be the way Nasum bowled and the way Sohan batted. Miraz has been always good for us. But these two were something else," he added. 

Tamim also singled out the determination of Taijul Islam, who was adjudged the player of the match for his maiden ODI fifer following his return after 28 months.

"I have to mention Taijul's name. Throughout the tour, he has been with the side but did not get a game. He came to every practice session. And when he finally got a game, he stepped up," he concluded.