New Zealand are into the World Cup final after a thrilling win over India.
The Kiwis posted 239 following Tuesday’s rain delay and looked destined to cruise home when they removed Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli with the new ball. But a brilliant fightback from Ravi Jadeja and MS Dhoni saw India roar back into it before Trent Boult’s saw off Jadeja before Dhoni was run out in dramatic fashion at the death.
New Zealand will now face either England or Australia in Sunday’s showpiece.
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An extraordinary game. A two-day international of the highest quality, drama right to the last. Underdogs again, New Zealand are through to a second successive World Cup Final. India are out.
Old Trafford has seen one of the greatest white-ball knocks of all-time from Ravindra Jadeja, and a truly magnificent game of cricket.
And there’s more to come! Australia and England contest the second spot in the final tomorrow at Edgbaston, before the main event at Lord’s on Sunday.
I’ve been Harry Latham-Coyle for The Independent – thank you for joining me.
“It was really tough and we had to assess the conditions,” comments a clearly relieved Kane Williamson. “Both teams thought it would be high-scoring, we thought we could get 240 and put India under pressure.
“We just wanted to put the ball in the good areas and put pressure on India. We wanted some early wickets and it was great start for the bowlers. We needed to stay in the game for long periods. The way Jadeja and Dhoni were hitting the ball, they were likely to win, but our fielders were then outstanding.”
Virat Kohli post-game: “The first half we were spot on. We got what we needed in the field. We knew we had a good day yesterday, we felt like we had the moment, but the credit has to go to NZ bowlers. The swing and help they got from the surface – the skill from them was on display. Jaddu had an outstanding couple of games. He went with so much clarity, MS had a good partnership with him. It was a game of margins and MS was run-out. 45 minutes of bad cricket puts you out of the tournament. Difficult to take it – but New Zealand were braver in crunch situations and they deserve it.”
Henry: “We talked about just making we do the best we can and play the way we can. We started out with the ball and just tried to create pressure. We just had to ask a lot of questions against the best batting line-up. I thought we managed to scrap it out. We had the belief – we knew we had to bowl well. Obviously, they are world-class batsmen – Hardik, Dhoni and Jadeja – we knew to win the game we had to get them out. It’s very special and thanks to the New Zealand supporters out there.”
Henry was good, though. He and Trent Boult got the early breakthroughs that New Zealand needed and he finished it off well at the death.
Matt Henry is the Man of the Match.
Nope – I don’t fully comprehend why it isn’t Ravindra Jadeja, either.
What a game of cricket! 28 and a half hours after it started a game that ebbed and flowed throughout has finally ended, with New Zealand the unlikely winners, and unlikely finalists. Back-to-back finals for the Blackcaps – can they go one better than 2015?
India are disappointed. Bitterly disappointed. There are fans crying in the stands. They thought this was their year. A quite extraordinary innings from Ravindra Jadeja, but it wasn’t enough.
RESULT
Y Chahal c †Latham b Neesham 5 (5b 1×4 0x6), India 221 all out (49.3)
New Zealand win by 18 runs and progress to the World Cup Final.
Ultra-edge shows a spike! The game is New Zealand’s!
ALL-OUT
OUT! LATHAM TAKES THE CATCH AND NEW ZEALAND ARE WORLD CUP FINALISTS!
But Chahal has reviewed this. Latham was convinced…
49.2 – India 221-9, J Bumrah 0, Y Chahal 5, J Neesham 0-49 (7.2)
Dot ball.
Short, slow, top edge, short of the keeper.
49.1 – India 221-9, J Bumrah 0, Y Chahal 5, J Neesham 0-49 (7.1)
Down the leg side and worked away for four!
Bumrah and Chahal. Two proper tailenders.
WICKET
OUT! Nail. Coffin!
Brilliant from Ferguson. Kumar is expecting pace and looking to get one and keep himself on strike, but Ferguson goes with a slower ball, completely fooling the batsman. Kumar tries to block it but is deceived by the flight and yorked. The dagger!
B Kumar b Ferguson 0 (1b 0x4 0x6), India 217-9 (49)
WICKET
OUT! HE’S AN INCH SHORT!
Utterly superb from Martin Guptill. Dhoni uncomfortably spooned the ball into the leg side and it looked like a comfortable two, but a moment of hesitation leaves Dhoni struggling. It had to be a direct hit – Tom Latham had scuttled after the ball. Guptill delivers! Dhoni falls for 50. Did he leave his launch too late?
That is that, surely?
MS Dhoni run out (Guptill) 50 (72b 1×4 1×6), India 216-8 (48.3)
DIRECT HIT! THIS COULD BE THE GAME! MARTIN GUPTILL HITS THE STUMPS AND DHONI MIGHT BE SHORT!
SIX
48.1 – India 215-7, B Kumar 0, MS Dhoni 49, L Ferguson 0-41 (9.1)
Just big enough! What a shot!
Short from Ferguson and Dhoni flays away from the body, bat high above his head and underneath it enough to clear a leaping fielder on the cover boundary…
Lockie Ferguson with the pressure on.
48.0 – India 209-7, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 0, MS Dhoni 43, T Boult 2-42 (10)
Pulled. There are two there but Dhoni only wants one. 31 needed from the final two overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar can bat, but this will have to be the Dhoni show.
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