'That's something we really pride ourselves on as Black Caps' - Daryl Mitchell defends assisting Virat Kohli in World Cup semi-final

India's cricket team secured a spot in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final after a victory against New Zealand in the semi-final. The match, led by Rohit Sharma's men, showcased the home team's exceptional performance, leaving fans in awe.

Following the win, former Australian cricketer Scott O'Donnell made a controversial comment questioning New Zealand's sportsmanship for assisting India's Virat Kohli when he faced cramps on his way to his 50th ODI hundred. 

He said that Kiwi players shouldn't have helped Virat when he was in pain due to the cramps he was having because of the hot and humid weather of Mumbai. This comment raised eyebrows given the intense nature of the semi-final match in Wankhede.

In response, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell defended his team's actions, emphasizing their commitment to their unique approach to cricket both on and off the field. 

"I think that's something we really pride ourselves on as Black Caps and as New Zealanders. We want to play cricket in a way that suits us as a country and how we want to see our kids grow up and play the game themselves," Mitchell said in a chat with reporters as quoted by NDTV.

"We'll keep playing cricket the way we do as Kiwis, and hopefully the rest of the world can respect us and how we go about our day-to-day life, not only on the field but off it as well. It's something that we're really proud of, so we'll just keep being Black Caps and doing what we're doing,” he added.

He expressed pride in playing cricket the way they do as Kiwis and highlighted their eagerness for the upcoming 2-match Test series against Bangladesh.

"That's the nature of international sport these days, We'll show up, we love Test cricket, it means a hell of a lot to this group. We'll be ready to go come the first day of that Test and wear that black cap again."