Exactly one year ago, India had crashed out of the World Cup 2019 after suffering a heartbreaking 18-run loss to New Zealand in the first semifinal due to top-order failure on the reserve day.
During the World Cup 2019 semi-final between India and New Zealand, there was pin-drop silence in the Manchester crowd after MS Dhoni was run out as the wicketkeeper-batsman’s wicket was the final nail in the coffin for India in their 240-run chase on Wednesday.
Millions of Indian fans’ hearts were broken after that run-out and clips showing MS Dhoni walking back after getting out were doing the rounds in which Dhoni seemingly bursts into tears. It’s been one year since then, Dhoni has not played for the Indian team.
WHAT A MOMENT OF BRILLIANCE!
Martin Guptill was to run out MS Dhoni and help send New Zealand to their second consecutive @cricketworldcup final! #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/i84pTIrYbk
— ICC (@ICC) July 10, 2019
Earlier, Kane Williamson had elected to bat after winning the toss on July 9. However, Indian bowlers dominated New Zealand in Manchester before rain forced play to be suspended for the day. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah bowled fiery new-ball spells, which the Kiwi batsmen found hard to deal with.
Henry Nicholls and Kane Williamson then steadied the innings. The duo shared a 68-run stand before Nicholls was removed by Ravindra Jadeja. Williamson (67) slammed a half-century and took the score past 100.
As New Zealand resumed play from 211/5 in 46.1 overs, Taylor got run out after adding just seven runs to his overnight score. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then struck with a twin-blow, sending back Tom Latham (10) and Matt Henry (1). NZ were restricted to 239/8.
Chasing 240, India was 92/6 and looking down the barrel before Jadeja joined Dhoni and raised hopes of a counter. In the end, their partnership of 116 runs was the highest in the history of the World Cup for the seventh wicket.
But the start was a disaster for India as the in-form Rohit Sharma (1), skipper Virat Kohli (1), opener K.L. Rahul (1) and Dinesh Karthik (6) were done in by some beautiful bowling by Matt Henry and Trent Boult.
With MS Dhoni at the crease, there was still a belief that India would be able to gun down the total and seal a ticket to the Lord’s final on July 14.
Jadeja (77 off 59 balls) used every ounce of his ‘bits and pieces’ skill but the ‘men in blue’ could only get as far as 221 in 49.3 overs in pursuit of 240.
