NEW DELHI: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has praised India's record-breaking batsman Virat Kohli as "the best" in the world and warned India's opponents that the superstar is "getting better."
India, dubbed the "blue machine" by Williamson, trounced his team by 70 runs in Mumbai on Wednesday to storm into the ICC ODI World Cup final.

India amassed 397/4, with Kohli scoring his 50th one-day international century before being removed for 117 and Shreyas Iyer making 105.

Under the Wankhede Stadium floodlights, Mohammed Shami took a remarkable 7-57 as New Zealand, the losing finalists in the last two World Cups and India's 2019 semi-final conquerors, were bowled out for 327.

Williamson, a world-class batsman in his own right, paid respect to Kohli, who broke Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI hundreds as the India great watched from the stands at his old home field.
"That's something quite special, I think if you play 50 games, some people would call that a great career," said Williamson. "But to get 50 hundreds...and not just that, actually the way he goes about it, it's actually about winning games for his team."

"I mean he's the best, isn't he? And he seems to be getting better, which is a worry for the opposition all around the world," the 33-year-old New Zealand skipper added.
Shami attacked throughout the innings on his way to the best figures by a bowler in a World Cup semi-final. He also ended a threatening third-wicket partnership of 181 between Daryl Mitchell (134) and Williamson (69) when the Black Caps skipper was caught at deep square leg.
"That blue machine keeps rolling and they were too good for us today...They thoroughly deserve their win," said Williamson.
Shami's return to India playing eleven, due to an injury to all-rounder Hardik Pandya, propelled him to the top of the tournament bowling charts with 23 wickets, despite missing the first four games.
"He (Shami) has been incredible," said Williamson. "He's coming on first change, behind two outstanding new ball bowlers (Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj).
"He's without a doubt one of the top operators in the world and the way he moves the ball and he keeps bringing the stumps into play. It's been quite phenomenal really, the amount of wickets he's gotten in such a small amount of games in this tournament."

India, unbeaten in ten games, will now face either Australia or South Africa in the final on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
"They're the best team in the world and they're all playing their best cricket," said Williamson. "The way they've played throughout this tournament has been incredible. They haven't missed a beat...I've got no doubt they'll go into that next match full of confidence."
(With inputs from AFP)
Watch World Cup 2023 semifinal breaking: Virat Kohli scores 50th ODI ton, breaks Sachin Tendulkar's record