Manchester: Rain interrupted play in the first semifinal between India and New Zealand at the Old Trafford on Tuesday with the Kiwi scoreboard reading 211/5 after 46.1 overs. Ross Taylor was unbeaten on 67 off 85 balls when the umpires decided the players needed to head back to the pavilion.
If New Zealand’s innings concludes here, the 46-over target for India will to be 237. If India’s innings is reduced to 20 overs, the target will be 148.
Earlier, slower bouncers, cutters and the knuckle balls ruled the roost as the Indian bowlers showed why they are considered one of the best in world cricket at present. Even as the team management surprised many by deciding to drop the in-form Mohammad Shami, the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya showed that they were up for the challenge.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson scored a fighting 95-ball 67 even as the Kiwi batsmen found the going extremely tough on the slow wicket on offer.
Brief scores: New Zealand: 211/5 in 46.1 overs (Ross Taylor 67*, Ravindra Jadeja 1/34) vs India
