Mohammed Siraj struck the opening blow for India, removing the formidable Devon Conway, thanks to a remarkable diving catch by Shreyas Iyer. Siraj then acknowledged his fielding coach, T. Dilip, with a medal gesture in appreciation.
In a clash between two undefeated teams, India and New Zealand met on Sunday at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, won the toss and opted to field, marking the fifth consecutive chase for India in the tournament. A victory in this match would bring either team, both with 8 points from 4 games, one step closer to a spot in the semi-finals.
India made an early breakthrough when Mohammed Siraj dismissed the formidable Devon Conway, the left-handed Kiwi opener who had previously scored an unbeaten 152 against England. Shreyas Iyer deserves much of the credit for Conway’s dismissal.
Conway played a shot on the leg side to a delivery on the leg-stump from Siraj. Shreyas Iyer executed a spectacular dive to his right to complete the catch, providing India with their first crucial breakthrough.
Shreyas Iyer and the entire Indian team celebrated this early wicket. Immediately after rising from the ground following the catch, Iyer made a medal gesture toward the dressing room, acknowledging fielding coach T. Dilip. Dilip had initiated a tradition of awarding a medal to the best Indian fielder in each game, with Ravindra Jadeja receiving it in the previous game against Bangladesh and making a similar gesture.