India vs New Zealand: Daryl Mitchell emulates 48-year-old record for Blackcaps with imperious ODI World Cup century

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In the high-stakes encounter between New Zealand and India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Dharamsala's HPCA Stadium on Sunday, Daryl Mitchell, the senior New Zealand batsman, showcased his prowess with a brilliant century.

This remarkable achievement marked his fifth century in the One Day International (ODI) format, underlining his status as New Zealand's Mr. Consistent. Mitchell's century made him the first New Zealand batter since Glenn Turner, who achieved this feat against India in a World Cup match 48 years back.

Notably, the last time a New Zealand batter scored a century against India in the World Cup was Glenn Turner back in the 1975 World Cup. Turner's remarkable knock of 114* off 170 balls helped New Zealand secure a victory against India in Manchester on June 14, 1975, in the second innings. The Kiwis chased down a target of 231 and won the match by 4 wickets.

In the match against India, Mitchell faced a challenging situation when he walked to the crease with New Zealand at a precarious 19/2 during the first powerplay. However, he faced the Indian bowlers with a counter-attacking approach and rescued his team.

Alongside Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell not only revived New Zealand's innings but also set the foundation for a competitive total. The partnership between Mitchell and Ravindra was substantial, amassing 159 runs for the third wicket. It stands as the fifth-highest partnership for New Zealand in World Cup history for any wicket and is the highest partnership against India in this prestigious tournament.

Daryl Mitchell Makes India Pay For Dropped Chance

Mitchell's flawless innings demonstrated his exceptional composure and ability to pace his innings meticulously. Although he had a moment of fortune when Jasprit Bumrah dropped him in the 70s with a chance at long-off, he made no further mistakes. Mitchell has consistently been New Zealand's top batsman and has frequently risen to the occasion when the team faced adversity.

In 2023, Mitchell has been in exceptional form in ODIs and has notched up his fourth century of the year, further emphasizing his status as a premier ODI batter. His remarkable century against India also etched his name in the history books with a few notable milestones.

The list of batters who have scored World Cup centuries from the No.4 position or below against India includes:

• Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) with 103* in the 2011 final in Mumbai.
• Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe) with 138 in Auckland in 2015.
• Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) with 113 in Leeds in 2019.
• Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) with 100* in Dharamsala in 2023.

Mitchell's prolific form has seen him achieve the distinction of being one of the fastest New Zealand batters to reach five ODI centuries. He reached this milestone in just 30 innings, cementing his status as one of New Zealand's most accomplished and reliable ODI batsmen.