Shreyas in race to break record with second World Cup century
Mumbai (ANI): Indian middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer on Wednesday created history by becoming the first middle-order batsman to score 500 or more runs in an edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup.
With his second consecutive century in the tournament during the semi-final against New Zealand, Shreyas broke several records and continued his form in ODI cricket.
Iyer was at his peak in the match. He scored 105 runs in just 70 balls. His innings included four fours and eight sixes. He scored runs at a strike rate of 150.
So far in this tournament, Iyer has scored 526 runs at an average of 75.14 and a strike rate of over 113. He has scored two centuries and three half-centuries with a best score of 128*. This batsman is the fifth highest run scorer so far in the tournament.
The previous best run by a middle-order batsman in a single World Cup was by New Zealand’s Scott Styris. In the 2007 edition of the tournament, Styris scored 499 runs at an average of 83.16 with one century and four fifties in nine innings.
Iyer’s century, which he scored in 67 balls, is the fastest century ever in a Cricket World Cup knockout match. He has overtaken the great Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist, who scored a century in 72 balls against Sri Lanka in the 2007 World Cup final.
Iyer is only the third Indian batsman to score two or more consecutive World Cup centuries, the other two being Rohit Sharma (three in 2019) and Rahul Dravid (two in 1999).
Iyer hit eight sixes in his innings, the most by an Indian batsman in a World Cup innings. He has left behind Sourav Ganguly, who hit seven sixes during his 183* innings against Sri Lanka in 1999.
Also, Shreyas Iyer completed his 4,000 international runs. He has scored 4,036 runs at an average of 42.48 with the help of six centuries and 29 half-centuries in 113 innings of 116 matches. His best score is 128*.
Iyer has scored 666 runs at an average of 44.40 with the help of one century and five half-centuries in 16 innings of 10 Test matches.
ODI is Iyer’s best format. In 52 innings of 57 ODIs, he has scored 2,327 runs at an average of 50.58, which includes five centuries and 17 fifties.
In 49 T20Is, Iyer has scored 1,043 runs at an average of 30.67 with seven fifties in 45 innings. Talking about the match, India batted first and scored 397/4 runs in 50 overs. Captain Rohit Sharma (47 runs in 29 balls with the help of four fours and four sixes) and Shubman Gill (80 runs in 66 balls with the help of eight fours and three sixes) gave a good start by making a partnership of 71 runs for the first wicket.
Virat Kohli (117 from 113 balls, nine fours and two sixes) scored his 50th ODI century, while Shreyas Iyer (105 from 70 balls, four fours and eight sixes) scored his second consecutive World Cup century, helping India Helped to score a huge score. , KL Rahul also played an inning of 39 runs in 20 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes.
Tim Southee (3/100) was the best bowler for the Kiwi team. Trent Boult (1/86) also got one wicket.
Brief Scores: India: 397/4 (Virat Kohli 117, Shreyas Iyer 105, Tim Southee 3/100). (ANI)
