Virat Kohli earned the ‘Fielder of the Match’ medal for his fielding performance in India’s Champions Trophy victory against New Zealand, securing a 44-run win and topping Group A. Varun Chakaravarthy’s five-wicket haul was crucial in the match. India will face Australia in the semi-finals, while New Zealand plays South Africa. Fielding coach T Dilip praised the team’s efforts, highlighting Kohli along with Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer as standout fielders. Kohli’s 300th ODI was notable, although he scored only 11 runs. Shreyas Iyer was the top scorer with 79 runs as India posted 249/9.
Indian cricket sensation Virat Kohli received the ‘Fielder of the Match’ medal for his exceptional fielding during India’s Champions Trophy final group stage victory against New Zealand on Sunday. Varun Chakaravarthy was instrumental in India’s success, securing a five-wicket haul that led to a 44-run win, positioning India at the top of Group A. They are set to face Australia in the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday, while New Zealand will go up against South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday.
After the match, India’s fielding coach T Dilip praised the players in the dressing room for their contributions in the field and named the contenders for the best fielding honour. Training assistant Udenaka Nuwan Seneviratane then presented the medal to Kohli, who marked this game as his 300th ODI appearance.
“We always emphasize being a top-tier fielding unit; what matters most is being proactive. I noticed different aspects of the game; the way we tightened our grip when Mitchell came in and restricted his ability to rotate the strike. The impressive throws from the outfield were remarkable…” Dilip stated in a video shared by BCCI on its website.
“As for the contenders, Axar Patel stood out looking like a superhero with that catch. Game after game, he reaffirmed his prowess on the field, while Virat Kohli commanded attention with his significant contributions and ability to take crucial catches. And the way Shreyas Iyer executed those dives was impressive,” he noted.
Kohli became the seventh Indian player to reach the 300-ODI milestone, joining legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, and Yuvraj Singh.
Unfortunately, the star batsman couldn’t leave a significant mark on his milestone match, as he was dismissed by Matt Henry for just 11 runs. Although Kohli executed a powerful cut shot, Glenn Phillips made an astonishing one-handed catch to his right at backward point, leaving both Kohli and the crowd in shock.
Shreyas Iyer emerged as India’s top scorer with a solid 79, while Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya made valuable contributions of 42 and 45 runs respectively, helping the team reach a total of 249/9 in their 50 overs.
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