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Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer tons power India to 397/4
Virat Kohli scored his record-breaking 50th ODI hundred and Shreyas Iyer scored his second successive one – off just 67 balls – to take India a giant leap towards burying New Zealand under a mountain of runs and reaching the final of the World Cup. Kohli and Iyer’s efforts came after Rohit set the stage up with a blazing start while Gill too was among the runs until the sweltering Mumbai heat got to him.
Rohit Sharma went about business as usual after winning the toss and opting to bat, as he hit over mid-wicket and through covers against Trent Boult in the first over. The left-armer got no swing and was forced to change his angle to round the stumps in just his second over after Rohit gave him the charge and smashed a six over extra cover. Rohit’s brutality stretched to Tim Southee too, as short balls received the treatment it usually does from the opener. In the fifth over, Rohit hit his third six of the innings – and 50th in World Cups, overtaking Chris Gayle’s tally of most sixes in the history of the showpiece event.
Kane Williamson had to turn to Mitchell Santner as early as the sixth over, who too was taken apart by Rohit as he audaciously moved to 45 off just 22. In the ninth over, Rohit tried to drill a big shot down the ground but didn’t get the timing right on a clever change of pace from Southee. Kane Williamson covered quite a lot of ground from mid off, paced backwards and completed an excellent catch to send his opposite number packing. Shubman Gill however, ensured India didn’t step off the gas as he treated Lockie Ferguson’s first three overs with disdain, dispatching all the short balls on either side of the square boundary. New Zealand’s four specialist bowlers ploy was under the pump after Ferguson was hit for runs and Rachin Ravindra also started off with a 10-run over in which Gill brought up his 41-ball 50. Even as Kohli began slowly, Gill kept the boundaries flowing, taking India to 150/1 in 20 overs.
Gill was primed for his first World Cup century, but cramps got the better of him in the Mumbai heat, as he needed the physio’s attention between overs for his left leg and back. In the 23rd over, he retired hurt on 79 off 65. Shreyas Iyer walked out and Williamson straightaway brought back Ferguson to test the No.4 batter with the short ball but Iyer navigated past it to lay into the spinners in the company of Kohli. In the 28th over, Kohli brought up his eighth hundred of the World Cup – the most in a single edition, going past Sachin Tendulkar and Shakib Al Hasan’s tally.
Williamson’s effort to put a lid on the easy flow of runs by bringing back Boult and Southee was met with resistance as Kohli used his feet against both to get a four and a six respectively. Iyer meanwhile, saw through Southee’s ruse of repeatedly using the slower ball and clobbered him for a six over midwicket. After getting 84 runs in the first 10 overs, India consolidated well with 66 and 64 in the next two sets of 10, but Iyer and Kohli found a way to nudge it even further with 73 in the next 10. From 287/1 in 40 overs, India were set for a big finish. Before that came about, Kohli got to his milestone century, which cued some emotional celebrations from India’s No.3 batter. Iyer meanwhile showed off his spin-hitting prowess as he went after Ravindra, who conceded 60 off 7 overs. Even the pacers struggled to keep Iyer in check as he flew to a 67-ball century in the 48th over.
India hit 110 in the last 10 overs with even New Zealand’s seasoned bowlers going for plenty of runs. Boult went for 86 in his 10 overs while Southee leaked 100 as his plan to take pace off didn’t yield the desired results beyond Rohit’s wicket. Ferguson bowled only 8 for his 65 while the part-time spin pair of Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra went for 93 in 12 overs combined.
Brief scores:
India 397/4 in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 47, Virat Kohli 117, Shreyas Iyer 105, Shubman Gill 80*, K L Rahul 39*; Tim Southee 3-100) vs New Zealand
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Landslide RED warnings continue to be in force for the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya
The RED Landslide Early Warnings issued by the Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organization [NBRO] to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya have been extended until 1600hrs today [06th December 2025]. Landslide Early warnings have also been issued to the districts of Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Matara, Monaragala and Ratnapura,
Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Gangawata Korale, Deltota, Doluwa, Thumpane, Medadumbara, Minipe, Pathahewaheta, Yatinuwara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Akurana, Udunuwara, Panvila, Pathadumbara, Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Poojapitiya, Harispattuwa and Udapalatha in the Kandy district, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Mawanella, Rambukkana, Dehiowita, Warakapola, Deraniyagala, Bulathkohupitiya, Ruwanwella, Yatiyanthota and Aranayaka in the Kegalle district, Narammala, Mawathagama, Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Rideegama and Polgahawela in the Kurunegala district, Rattota, Wilgamuwa, Ukuwela, Pallepola, Matale, Laggala Pallegama, Yatawatta, Naula and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district, and Nildandahinna, Walapane, Hanguranketha and Mathurata in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL II AMBER warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Passara and Haldummulla in the Badulla district, Nuwara Eliya, Ambagamuwa Korale, Thalawakele, Norwood, Kothmale West and Kothmale East in the Nuwara Eliya district, and Kahawaththa, Godakawela and Kolonna in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Padukka and Seethawaka in the Colombo district, Elpitiya and Yakkalamulla in the Galle district, Mirigama, Attanagalla and Divulapitiya in the Gampaha district, Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya and Horana in the Kalutara district, Athuraliya and Pasgoda in the Matara district, Bibile and Medagama in the Monaragala district, and Kiriella, Nivithigala, Eheliyagoda, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Pelmadulla, Elapatha, Balangoda, Openayake, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Ratnapura and Kaltota in the Ratnapura district.
Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman has been fined 10% of his match fee and docked one demerit point after he was found guilty of breaching level 1 of the ICC code of conduct during the tri series final against Sri Lanka on November 29.
Fakhar was found to have breached article 2.8 of the code of conduct, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match.” He admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by the match referee, so there was no need for a formal hearing, said an ICC release.
The incident occurred in the 19th over of the final when Fakhar back-peddled from short-third, dived and seemed to have taken a stunning catch off Dasun Shanaka’s leading edge. The third umpire was called to check for the catch, and he deemed that the ball brushed the ground when Fakhar dived, and ruled it not out. Both Fakhar and the bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi weren’t happy with the decision and made it known to the on-field umpires.
The very next ball, Shanaka swiped across the line and was clean bowled. Fakhar looked at the umpire and sarcastically appealed for the decision. Pakistan eventually won the final by six wickets as batting first, Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap, losing 9 for 30 to be bowled out for 114. Babar Azam shepherded the chase with an unbeaten 37, taking Pakistan over the line in 18.4 overs.
This was Fakhar’s first offence in a 24-month period. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
[Cricinfo]
The situation report issued by the Disaster Management Centre at 1800hrs today (5th December) confirms that 607 persons have died due to the adverse weather conditions while the number of missing persons has reduced to 214.
The number of persons affected topped the 2 million mark (2,082,195).
Landslide RED warnings continue to be in force for the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya
Fakhar Zaman fined 10% of match fee for showing dissent at umpire’s decision
Showers will occur in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern,Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-western and Uva provinces and in Matale district
IMF pledges additional aid to Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah destruction
Marrikkar Mohamed Thahir takes oath as SJB National List MP
Govt. to roll out loan facilities for new entrepreneurs from next month
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