‘Bangladesh’s batting almost equal to Australia’s’

A magnificent rearguard effort from India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja could not offset the early damage done by seamers Trent Boult and Matt Henry as New Zealand secured a second successive World Cup final berth with an 18-run win in a pulsating semifinal at Old Trafford yesterday. New Zealand completed the win on the reserve day set aside for the semifinals and finals after rain had forced a suspension on Tuesday, which ended with the Kiwis on 211 for five in 46.1 overs.

The Black Caps will meet the winner of today’s second semifinal between Australia and England in the final at Lord’s on July 14. If Australia win, it will be a replay of the 2015 World Cup final and if England win, there will be a new world champion come Sunday night.

Chasing 240 to win, India had brought the chase down to 37 from the last three overs with Jadeja and Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the crease. Having hit four sixes while dragging India back into contention, Jadeja perished trying for a necessary fifth to be caught in the ring off a Boult slower ball. Dhoni started the next over from Lockie Ferguson, which began with India needing 31, with a six over point but off the third ball a precision throw from deep square leg from Martin Guptill found Dhoni just short of his crease in his attempt to complete his 51st run. Guptill’s pinpoint accuracy was one of the examples of fortune favouring the brave after skipper Kane Williamson had gone for wickets early on and gambled by bowling his best bowlers out before the last two overs.

Ferguson bowled Bhuvneshwar Kumar with a slower ball and then Jimmy Neesham had Yuzvendra Chahal caught behind as India were all out for 221 with three balls to spare.

New Zealand’s win over the more fancied India was based on doing what no other team had managed against the 2011 World Cup champions in this edition so far -- dismissing Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli within the first 10 overs. After New Zealand had added 28 runs for the loss of three wickets in the morning yesterday, three wickets from Henry and one -- that of Kohli -- from Boult cut the Indians down to 24 for four after the first 10 overs. The significance of those early blows can best be illustrated by the fact that in their eight league games, India had lost just four wickets in the first 10 overs.

But the two-time champions’ chasing pedigree came through later on, when Jadeja dominated a 116-run seventh-wicket stand with MS Dhoni, who was handing the strike over to the left-hander in red-hot form. Jadeja came to

the crease with India reeling on 92 for six in the 31st over with Dhoni playing slowly and the match all but lost. He hit a 59-ball 77 in the partnership that lasted 17.2 overs and nearly pulled off a miracle.

Earlier, in ideal swing-bowling conditions, captain Williamson’s gamble to go all out for wickets was rewarded by two bowlers who executed that plan to the letter with highly accurate and incisive spells. Henry drew first blood in the second over by having Sharma -- who scored five centuries in eight league games -- caught by the keeper with an edged away-swinger. Boult worked Kohli over with a sequence of two outswingers and two inswingers, with the right-hander playing across the line and being trapped in front by the second inswinger. Lokesh Rahul repeated Sharma’s error -- poking without conviction at an away-swinger -- to leave India on a woeful five for three in the fourth over. Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant fought hard to survive with Boult constantly keeping the batsmen guessing and playing late. Neesham then completed the Powerplay dominance by snaffling a superb catch at point millimetres off the ground diving to his left when Karthik checked a drive to another outswinger from Henry and got a thick outside edge in the 10th    over.

Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner did his part by bowling a tight line and Pant, realising the need for some quick runs, attempted a maximum but was instead caught off a slog sweep at deep midwicket in the 23rd over. The pressure also told on Hardik Pandya, whose wild slog in the 31st over off the same bowler was caught by Williamson in the ring, leaving India in a seemingly hopeless position. Jadeja’s innings followed, as did a late Dhoni fightback in what could be the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman’s last ODI, but the early ground ceded to the brave Kiwis proved too much to recover.

New Zealand reached their second World Cup final with a stunning 18-run win over shell-shocked India at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

New Zealand stunned India to reach their second successive World Cup final as they survived Ravindra Jadeja's late heroics to clinch a thrilling 18-run win at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

It was a superb display by the underdog Black Caps, who came into the match on the back of three straight defeats by Pakistan, Australia and England and only qualified for the semi-finals on net run-rate, while India topped the 10-team group stage.

New Zealand will face the winners of Thursday's second semi-final between Australia -- the team that beat them in the 2015 final -- and hosts England in Sunday's title match at Lord's.

Two-time world champions India lost key batsmen Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul for just one run each.

They slumped to five for three in pursuit of a target of 240 and were 24 for four when Dinesh Karthik was out.

New Zealand pacemen Matt Henry (three for 37) and Trent Boult (two for 42) did the damage with the new ball.

India, one of the pre-tournament favourites, were all but beaten at 92 for six when Jadeja came in to bat alongside veteran former captain MS Dhoni.

The pair gave India hope during a World Cup record seventh-wicket stand of 116, all-rounder Jadeja boldly leading the way with 77.

Jadeja hit well-struck sixes off both Jimmy Neesham and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner during a 39-ball fifty.

With 10 overs left, India were 150 for six and needing a further 90 runs off the final 60 balls of the innings.

Jadeja got them closer with a superb straight six off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson and, with five overs left, the target was down to 52.

But with India in sight of an amazing win, left-hander Jadeja's 59-ball innings, featuring four fours and four sixes, ended when he skyed Boult to New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.

It was a fine, if ultimately futile, effort from Jadeja, dismissed as a "bits and pieces player" by former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, after he had also taken one for 34 with his left-arm spin and been brilliant in the field.

With India needing 31 off two overs, Dhoni uppercut Ferguson for six to the delight of the massed ranks of India fans in the crowd.

But going for a second run to keep the strike, the 38-year-old Dhoni, India's 2011 World Cup-winning captain, was just run out by Martin Guptill's direct hit for 50 off 72 balls.

- Shock victory -

With 23 required off the last six balls, tailender Yuzvendra Chahal glanced Neesham for four.

But the match finished with three balls to spare when Chahal edged to wicketkeeper Tom Latham, a review confirming his dismissal and New Zealand's shock victory.

Sharma, who had already made a five hundreds at this tournament -- a record for a single World Cup, began the procession of top-order dismissals when he was caught behind off Henry.

Kohli fell next, lbw to a superb inswinger from left-armer Boult.

Kohli reviewed but replays upheld English official Richard Illingworth's original out decision on umpire's call.

India were then five for three when Rahul was brilliantly caught by a diving Latham after edging Henry.

At that stage, India had lost three wickets for one run in 10 balls.

Neesham then held a brilliant superb one-handed catch at backward point to dismiss Karthik off Henry.

Rishabh Pant holed out for 32 when he was caught at deep midwicket by Colin de Grandhomme following a lofted sweep off Santner.

India suffered another setback when Hardik Pandya, slogging across the line, skyed Santner to Williamson at midwicket as he fell for 32.

Earlier, New Zealand added 28 runs in the remaining 23 balls of their innings to finish on 239-8 after rain had stopped play on Tuesday.

Ross Taylor, who resumed on 67 not out, top-scored with 74 after Williamson had made a masterly 67 in awkward conditions.

(AFP, Manchester)

Dhoni run out

A maginificent throw from Martin Guptill as Dhoni wants two but Guptill's direct hit takes off the bails before Dhoni could scamper back. India's last hope possibly gone after Dhoni run out.

Boult removes Jadeja

Trent Boult came into the attack in the 48th over to pick up the wicket of the dangerman Ravindra Jadeja. All hope rests on Dhoni as India neede 31 runs in 2 overs. Jadeja fell after scoring 77 off 59 deliveries.

Dhoni-Jadeja star in century stand

India have come back into the match courtesy of a 100-run partnership between Jadeja and Dhoni. The partnership cam in just 97 deliveries after India were struggling at 92 for six in the 31st over. India need 42 runs in four overs.

Jadeja smashes fifty

Ravindra Jadeja has been in exquisite touch on a day when most of the top order Indian batsmen have failed miserably. He gets to his fifty off just 39 balls when he clipped away an James Neesham delivery in the 42nd over to take a double. 

Dhoni, Jadeja star in fifty-run stand as India look to fight back

MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja stitched together an ongoing 67-run seventh-wicket stand after India were left struggling at 92 for six in the 31st over. The partnership between the duo has revived some hope for the Indians who have been struggling from the start of today's game. India require another 90 runs from 60 balls with four wickets in hand.

Santner removes Pandya with Kiwis firmly on top

The required run-rate was escalating and Hardhik Pandya, looking to get some momentum into the innings looked to heave Mitchell Santner over mid-wicket only to get holed out as the ball looped up after taking the top edge of the bat. Captain Kane Williamson ran back to take the catch with India in big trouble after losing their sixth wicket. Santner bags his second of the match as Ravindra Jadeja comes to the crease to accompany Dhoni. Pandya leaves after scoring a 62-ball 32. India need a further 146 runs from 19 overs.

New Zealand on top after Pant dismissal

Rishabh Pant goes for a wild heave off a Mitchell Santner delivery over the midwicket but only finds the fielder. India were looking to build a good partnership through Pant and Hardik Pandya after their early slump. The duo had strung together a 47-run stand before Pant lost his pateince and fell prey to a Santner delivery in the 23rd over. India in deep trouble in the first semifinal of the World Cup at Old Trafford in Manchester today.  

India lose four as New Zealand on top

Dinesh Karthik was sent back as Matt Henry gets his third.

Neesham dived to his left to grab a scintillating catch to dismiss Karthik who never looked comfortable on the field. He took 22 balls to open his innings but as soon as looked to get a start, Henry showed his skills to send Karthik back.

KL Rahul nicked one to the New Zealand keeper Latham as India find themselves in trouble.

Top three of the Indian batting line-up could not make themselves comfortable in the middle as the New Zealand seamers run havoc on the field. The batsmen look to have no answers to the bowling spell by Trent Boult and Matt Henry. 

Latham threw himself to his right and grabbed the ball with both hands in front of Ross  Taylor at first slip. It would have been better if Rahul left the ball alone. Instead, he nicked with it. Rohit Sharma was sent back in the same manner.

Dinesh Karthik came out in the middle to rescue struggling India

Virat Kohli sent back as India lose wickets within three overs.

The Indian skipper was sent back by Trent Boult as he was caught leg before wicket. Considered as one of the best chasers of the game, the departure of Virat was a huge blow to the Indians.

Rohit Sharma was sent back to the pavilion by Matt Henry.

Fuller than a good length ball angled in towards off stump as it straightened away aat the very last moment. The line prompted Rohit to play the ball. A huge blow as the in form opener was sent back in chase of 239 runs.

New Zealand post 239 for eight on reserve day

New Zealand posted a challenging 239 for eight in their semifinal against India, which resumed today after being suspended yesterday due to persistent rain at the Old Trafford in Manchester.

After being suspended for persistent rain yesterday, New Zealand resumed today from where they had left off yesterday -- 211 for five in 46.1 overs. With 23 more balls to play, New Zealand added 28 more runs on the board, losing three wickets on the day. Ross Taylor, who resumed the day on 67, was the first one to fall to a run out after scoring 74 off 90 deliveries. After that the Kiwis could only manage 239 for eight with Santner scoring nine off six balls and Trent Boult with an unbeaten run-a-ball 3.

IND v NZ: Play resumes on reserve day

After being suspended due to persistent rain yesterday, the semifinal between India and New Zealand has resumed on the reserve day today at the Old Trafford in Manchester.

Such has been Shakib Al Hasan's brilliance in this World Cup that after a whimpering end to their campaign, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza kept naming the all-rounder when speaking of the positives. Shakib's performance -- 606 runs and 11 wickets -- actually transcended the results of the team he played for, and Mashrafe said the only regret was that Bangladesh could not take Shakib further.

"I should talk about Shakib; he has been absolutely beautiful. Batted at three, did what he could do. I feel very bad for Shakib," Mashrafe said after the match. "The tournament he had, he deserved to be in the semifinal. Really feel sorry for him. I think it was one of the best performances not just in this World Cup, but in all editions. It is disappointing that a player who played like that is not in the semifinals.

"Mushfiqur [Rahim] batted so well," Mashrafe continued about the positives. "We could not do the right things at the right times. We could not take catches when we needed to, and when we needed to bowl well, the bowlers could not step up."

With this being Mashrafe's last World Cup, there was little to do than look forward to Bangladesh's next World Cup in India in 2023, even though he would not be there. He wished that the core of the team would survive and there would be new players who could step up in favourable conditions.

"When we play in the next World Cup, I am sure if there are new players who come in, the team will go forward even more," Mashrafe said. "I wish and pray that Shakib, Tamim [Iqbal], Mushfiqur and [Mahmudullah] Riyad will be alive and well for the next World Cup so that they can guide the newer players. Since it is in India, I of course cannot say that we will win, but Bangladesh will have a chance.

He was more positive about the next tournament because it would be played in Asia and he believed that a bowling attack that was exposed in England would be more impressive in Asia.

"If you ask me after this tournament, when we play in this part of the world, bowling is a big issue. But if we play in Asia we are a far better bowling side."