On this day last year, India's impressive International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup campaign came to an end following an 18-run defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the first semi-final clash of the prestigious tournament at Old Trafford.
The ICC took to its official Twitter handle and informed its followers that the Black Caps ended India's hopes of making it to the final of the 2019 World Cup despite a counter attack by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.
"#OnThisDay last year, the rain-interrupted #CWC19 semi-final between India and New Zealand was completed.Despite a counter-attack from Dhoni and Jadeja, Flag of New Zealand prevailed, winning by 18 runs!," the world's cricket governing body wrote.
#OnThisDay last year, the rain-interrupted #CWC19 semi-final between India and New Zealand was completed.
Despite a counter-attack from Dhoni and Jadeja, prevailed, winning by 18 runs!
Log in to the ICC vault for exclusive extended highlights https://t.co/nSKrA56M3J pic.twitter.com/e6BpeN9IX3
— ICC (@ICC) July 10, 2020
New Zealand won the toss and asked India to bowl first in a rain-hit last-four clash of the showpiece event.
The Black Caps lost opener Martin Guptill cheaply for a duck, while his partner Henry Nicholls too failed to convert a good start into a big innings and was clean bowled by Ravindra Jadeja for 51-ball 28.
Subsequently, skipper Kane Williamson (67) and Ross Taylor (74) not only smashed a half-century each, but also stitched a crucial partnership of 65 runs for the third wicket.
After the duo's departure, New Zealand failed to build partnerships and were restricted to a score of 239 for eight in their stipulated 50 overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of three for 43, while Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal chipped in with a wicket a each.
In reply, the Men in Blue made a worst possible start, losing their first three wickets of KL Rahul (1), Rohit Sharma (1) and Virat Kohli (1) inside three runs.
Dinesh Karthik too failed to click with the bat and departed cheaply for six runs.
Subsequently, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya tried to steady the innings by scoring 32 runs each.
Wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni (50) and Jadeja (77) then staged a late fightback for India by scoring a fifty each besides also stitching a 116-run stand. However, the duo failed to help India cross the mark as the side was bundled out for 221 runs inside 49.3 overs.
For New Zealand, Matt Henry finished with brilliant figures of three for 37, while Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult claimed two wickets each.
Lockie Ferguson and Jimmy Neesham also took a wicket each for the Black Caps.
Henry was declared 'Man of the Match' for his good show with the ball.
New Zealand finished as the runner-ups in the 2019 ICC World Cup after scoring less number of boundaries than England in the summit showdown at Lord's following the match and subsequent Super Over between the two teams ended in a tie.
