New Zealand shock India to reach ICC World Cup final
New Zealand reached the World Cup final in a rain-dictated game spread over two days. Their remarkable bowling performance represented the tournament’s highlight up to that point in time, edging out a despondent India by 18 runs in a high-octane contest at Old Trafford.
Day one, Tuesday 9th of July and typical Manchester weather; cloudy, humid and overcast. In fact it felt like a perfect day to bowl, but New Zealand captain Kane Williamson did exactly the opposite, choosing to bat after winning the toss.
Being brutally honest New Zealand’s batting had not, Williamson aside, been firing on all cylinders throughout the group stage, and opener Martin Guptill was close to getting out first ball, rapped directly in front of the stumps by a delivery from Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Fortune shone briefly on Gupthill for the umpire’s verdict was “not out” and India lost a review, but his innings was brief, dismissed shortly thereafter for one, caught by Virat Kohli at second slip.
However, runs were coming at a snail’s pace throughout the day. New Zealand literally failed to either put a score on the board until the 17th ball of the innings or manage a boundary until the eighth over. Henry Nicholls and Kane Williamson crept through their overs, nevertheless their 68-run partnership steadied a shaky innings. Then Nicholls was bowled out of the blue by Ravindra Jadeja and the stand was broken.
Williamson and Taylor were then contained by the Indian spinners, the score progressing entirely through singles for the next 14 overs, not a solitary boundary. Regardless with Williamson still at the crease, New Zealanders remained hopeful, yet it was India who regained the initiative as he tried to accelerate the run rate and was caught at backward point.
Kiwi fans still had faith, Ross Taylor, now with 227 ODIs under his belt, started well and struck the first six of the match to reach his half-century, then the heavens opened at 2pm local time forcing the players from the field.
Four and a half hours later the umpires concluded that while the rain was not heavy there was no sign of it stopping and the Black Caps would have to resume their innings the following ‘rest’ day, with Taylor more than capable of pushing the score to a competitive total in the remaining 3.5 overs. Disappointing the thousands of vociferous India supporters in the crowd, convinced their team was on top on a slow pitch.
Day two, Wednesday 10th of July and as play resumed Kiwi hopes were dashed as Taylor was run out on 74 shortly thereafter, leaving them on 225 for 6 in 47.6 overs. Tom Latham was only able to add 10 before he was caught and the New Zealand innings ended on 239 for 8, with Mitchell Santner 9 not out and Trent Boult on 3.
As India, opened their account chasing 240 to win, the Black Caps bowling was on fire from the off, reducing the Men in Blue to 24 for 4 and later 92 for 6. Matt Henry had KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma both caught behind for 1 by Latham three overs in, while Trent Boult trapped captain Virat Kohli lbw for the same score. Henry then had Karthik caught in the tenth for 6 leaving the top order in ruins.
Mitchell Santner continued the rout, tempting Pant (32) to play at a delivery which carried to Colin de Grandhomme, going on to tease a further catch out of Pandya also on 32, this time pouched by New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson.
Only thirty overs gone and India had been decimated, but the spectacular collapse was arrested when Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni diligently set about building a 116-run partnership that pulled the 2011 champions back into contention.
Jadeja in particular batted superbly, however, with 37 runs needed from the final 18 balls, he uncharacteristically lofted a delivery from Boult high into the air and Williamson took another vital catch toppling India’s colossus for 77.
Dhoni then assumed frontline responsibility with the bat, hammering a glorious six off the first ball of the 48th over, but he was soon run out by Martin Guptill in superb fashion to evaporate India’s last wafer thin chance. A mission-critical wicket swiftly followed by that of last man Yuzvendra Chahal out edging behind. India suddenly all out, as a stunned partisan crowd, watched New Zealand gathering in a victory huddle.
New Zealand 258 for 8 in 50 overs [Taylor 74, Williamson 67, B Kumar 3 for 43]
India 221 all out in 49.3 overs [Jadeja 77, Henry 3 for 37, Santner 2 for 34]
New Zealand won by 18 runs
