After restricting New Zealand to a score of 239 for eight in 50 overs during the first semi-final clash of the 2019 ICC World Cup at the Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday, India too received a shock treatment from the opposition bowlers to crash to the lowest score made by a team after the first 10 overs in this marquee event.
Chasing a target of 240 runs to win in a clash that was pushed into reserve day due to rain, openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli were all departed after scoring one run inside three overs to leave the Men in Blue reeling at 5-3.
While both the Indian openers edged a Matt Henry delivery to wicketkeeper Tom Latham, Kohli was trapped leg before wicket by Trent Boult.
Notably, it was for the first time in the history of the international cricket that the opening three players of a team have been removed for a single.
Subsequently, Jimmy Neesham took a good one-handed catch to remove Dinesh Karthik for six off a Matt Henry delivery on the last ball of the opening powerplay to reduce India to 24 for four after 10 overs.
As a result, India have now posted the lowest score made by a team after the first 10 overs in the ongoing edition of the tournament, surpassing New Zealand's score of 27 for one after 10 overs which they made after opting to bat first in the all-important last-four encounter.
On Tuesday, the semi-final clash of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup between India and New Zealand was pushed into the reserve day i.e for Wednesday after rain played the spoilsport and called off the play, with New Zealand standing on a score of 211/5 in 46.1 overs.
West Indies's score of 29 for two against India at the same venue during the group stage clash on June 28 is the third lowest total in the first powerplay in the 2019 World Cup while New Zealand's tally of 30 for two against West Indies is fourth on the list.
