Happy Birthday Shreyas Iyer: A Look Back At His World Cup Heroics Against New Zealand
Shreyas Iyer played a fearless knock against the Kiwis in 2023 WC Semi-Final [Source: @ShreyasIyer15/X.com]
Shreyas Iyer, one of the best cricketers in the game, celebrates his 30th birthday today, December 6, 2024. The elegant right-handed batter has been a consistent performer for both India and Mumbai in domestic cricket. With over 6,000 first-class runs for Mumbai, Iyer has proven to be a reliable for every team and franchise he represents.
In IPL, Iyer led KKR to victory in the 2024 edition. However, he was surprisingly not retained by the franchise. After his release for the mega auction, Iyer became the centre of a bidding war, eventually being acquired by Punjab Kings for a whopping 26.75 crores, making him the second most-expensive player in IPL history after Rishabh Pant.
Iyer's international career has been equally impressive, with 127 matches across all three formats, as he bagged a total of 4,331 runs till date. He made his T20 International debut against New Zealand in November 2017, and just a month later, he represented India in One Day Internationals (ODIs) against Sri Lanka.
Iyer's remarkable knock in the 2023 World Cup Semi-Final against New Zealand
As Iyer celebrates his birthday today, let's take a look at one of the standout performances of his career that brought him into the limelight, his knock against New Zealand in the World Cup Semi-Final of 2023.
On November 15, 2023, India faced New Zealand in the first semi-final at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Riding high on confidence after a winning streak, India won the toss and chose to bat first. Rohit Sharma started explosively, partnering with Shubman Gill to score 71 runs off 50 balls before being dismissed for 47 by Tim Southee.
Virat Kohli then stepped in, and despite a strong run flow, Shubman Gill (80 off 66) had to retire due to a leg cramp, allowing Shreyas Iyer to take his place. The combination of Iyer and Kohli pushed India to a mammoth total of 397 runs. Iyer scored a fearless 105 runs off 70 balls thrashing 4 boundaries and 8 sixes, while Kohli made 117 runs off 113 balls, forming an impressive partnership of 163 runs.
In response, Daryl Mitchell tried to anchor Kiwi innings with a remarkable knock of 134 runs. However, it was not enough as Mohammed Shami dismantled the New Zealand batting lineup, taking 7 wickets and leading India to victory by 70 runs to secure a place in the finals.
As Iyer embarks on this new decade today, he also begins a new chapter with the Punjab Kings. His journey to the top, including representing his nation in the World Cup, has been impressive and his fans will also wish his continued success as they look forward to many more of his match-winning performances.