A disciplined bowling performance saw India restrict New Zealand to 239 in their allotted 50 overs in the World Cup semifinal. The match resumed from 46.1 overs and the Indians continued from where they left off, giving away just 28 runs in 3.5 overs.
The match had been suspended due to rain on Tuesday with New Zealand on 211 for 5.
After New Zealand won the toss and batted first on Tuesday, India maintained a tight leash on the batsmen in the initial overs giving away the first run only in the third over. Martin Guptill’s woeful run of form in the World Cup continued as he was dismissed for 1 off Bumrah to leave the side at 1 for 1.
It was not until the 8th over that the Kiwis got their first boundary when Nicholls hit Bumrah for a four.
In the first 10 overs, the Indians bowled tight lines to restrict the Kiwis to just 27 runs.
India suffered a temporary setback in the 16th over when Pandya was forced to leave the field with a hamstring issue.
Pandya came back on the field later and Kohli would have heaved a sigh of relief considering that India went in with only 5 specialist bowlers.
There was a 68-run partnership for the second wicket before Nicholls was cleaned up by Jadeja for a patient 28 off 51 balls.
Hobbled by the slow start, the Kiwis could not gather any momentum in the innings.
New Zealand seemed to break the shackles in the 28th over as they took 10 runs off a Chahal over with two boundaries.
Two overs later, skipper Williamson got to his 50 off 79 balls.
During the drinks break at the end of 33 overs, New Zealand had laboured to reach 122 with Williamson holding fort on 58 and Ross Taylor supporting him on 28.
The 65-run partnership for the 3rd wicket was broken in the 36th over when Chahal got some extra bounce and Williamson spooned one to Jadeja at backward point. Williamson’s long vigil at the crease came to an end after scoring 67 off 95 balls.
At the end of 40 overs, New Zealand had reached 155 for 3.
Neesham was next to go for 12, caught by Karthik to give Pandya his first wicket.
Off the first ball of 43rd over bowled by Chahal, Taylor finally managed to hit a six. The over yielded 18 runs to give New Zealand the much-needed impetus.
Bhuvneshwar came back into the attack and got the wicket off de Grandhomme after he tickled one to keeper Dhoni, who was playing his 350th ODI game.
Resuming on Wednesday morning, Taylor was run out for 74 after a brilliant throw from Jadeja in the deep hit the stumps directly. Off the first ball of the next over, Latham swung hard only to find Jadeja at deep mid-wicket who took a fine catch pedalling backwards.
New Zealand eventually finished on 239 for 8 off 50 overs. Bhuvneshwar was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets.