Despite India's heavy 244-run defeat, Kohli visited the New Zealand dressing room after the match and presented Henry with an Indian blue jersey in recognition of his bowling performance.

Henry delivered an outstanding performance in the match at Mount Maunganui, taking six wickets for 27 runs. He struck three times in the opening over of India's innings, dismissing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to put the visitors under immediate pressure.

His three wickets in the over also completed a hat-trick across consecutive deliveries.

Earlier, New Zealand posted 333 runs, powered by Will Young's 125 and Tim Seifert's 58. In response, India were bowled out for just 89 runs as New Zealand secured a commanding 244-run victory.

Kohli Praises Henry's Bowling

Although Kohli failed to make an impact with the bat, he made a personal visit to the New Zealand dressing room after the match to congratulate Henry.

During their brief conversation, Kohli praised the fast bowler's performance and described it as a quality display. He also mentioned the impact of sunlight during the opening over, saying he had not expected the pitch to change in that way.

Henry Plays Down Praise

New Zealand Cricket later asked Henry whether it was the best opening over in ODI history.

The fast bowler modestly disagreed, saying there had been better opening overs in the history of the format.

New Zealand Cricket shared a video of his response on social media with a humorous caption, joking that it was the 12,477th day of waiting to see Matt Henry accept a compliment.

Henry's Comeback After Serious Back Injury

Henry's cricketing career has also been marked by a remarkable return from injury. At the age of 20, he suffered a serious back injury that required the insertion of a 10-centimetre titanium rod into his spine.

Despite the setback, he went on to establish himself as a prominent international fast bowler. He also finished as the leading wicket-taker at the previous Champions Trophy, where India defeated New Zealand in the final to claim the title.

Videos of Henry's performance against India have also gained attention on social media. An Indian spectator at the ground was heard reacting to the bowling display by saying, "Save us."

Meanwhile, New Zealand player Matthew Fisher celebrated his 27th birthday as the team marked its victory over India.