Mumbai, Nov 15: Virat Kohli's world record 50th ODI hundred and a scintillating century by Shreyas Iyer propelled India to an imposing 397 for four against New Zealand in the first semifinal of the World Cup here on Wednesday.
Rohit Sharma's (47 off 29 balls) pyrotechnics, tons by Kohli (117 off 113) and Iyer (105 off 70), and a fluent 65-ball 79 by Shubman Gill, who retired hurt due to cramps, powered India after the skipper won a good toss.
Rohit, as is his wont, went after the bowling straightaway, and almost killed the contest in the first hour of play at the Wankhede Stadium, his dazzling array of stokes leaving the Kiwis bruised and battered.
Going for one too many, Rohit fell for a 29-ball 47 but Gill took over from there and continued to torment the Kiwis with his repertoire of strokes.
After Gill was forced to go back, Kohli and Iyer carried on the good work to set New Zealand an improbable target. Gill, though, came back and remained not out on 80 off 66 balls.
During the course of his innings, Kohli also became the first batter in the history of the game to score 50 ODI centuries, going past his idol Sachin Tendulkar.
Brief Scores:
India: 397/4 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 117, Shreyas Iyer 105, 80 not out).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mexico City (AP): Officials said a train accident in southern Mexico killed at least 13 people and injured dozens, halting traffic along a rail line connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico.
The Interoceanic Train linking the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz went off the rails Sunday as it passed a curve near the town of Nizanda.
“The Mexican Navy has informed me that, tragically, 13 people died in the Interoceanic Train accident,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum posted on X, adding that 98 people are injured, five of them seriously.
She said she instructed the secretary of the navy and the undersecretary of human rights of the Ministry of the Interior to travel to the site and personally assist the families.
In a message on X Sunday, Oaxaca state Gov. Salomon Jara said several government agencies had reached the site of the accident to assist the injured.
Officials said that 241 passengers and nine crew members were on the train when the accident occurred.
The Interoceanic Train was inaugurated in 2023 by then President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The rail service is part of a broader push to boost train travel in southern Mexico, and develop infrastructure along the isthmus of Tehuantepec, a narrow stretch of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mexican government plans to turn the isthmus into a strategic corridor for international trade, with ports and rail lines that can connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Interoceanic train currently runs from the port of Salina Cruz on the Pacific Ocean to Coatzacoalcos, covering a distance of approximately 180 miles (290 kilometers) .
