New Zealand Stun India In World Cup Semi-final Thriller
A crestfallen Virat Kohli blamed '45 minutes of bad cricket' for India's shock semi-final defeat by New Zealand - and said he would welcome a change to the regulations after his side were knocked out by opponents who finished below them in the group table.
Their fans had veered between despair and delirium during a topsy-turvy chase in Manchester: after an early collapse in pursuit of 240, India recovered thanks to a World Cup record seventh-wicket stand of 116 between MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.
Amid high drama, however, they fell 18 short, with Martin Guptill's direct hit from square leg to run out Dhoni all but sealing India's fate.
New Zealand will travel to Lord's for Sunday's World Cup final, their second in succession, and a date with either England or Australia.
New Zealand beat India by 18 runs at Old Trafford to advance to the World Cup final
A dejected India captain Virat Kohli at the end of the contest as India lost to New Zealand
Dejected India fans reflect on their shock loss to New Zealand at Old Trafford on Manchester
Rohit Sharma was the first wicket, a precious breakthrough by New Zealand's Matt Henry
Disappointment was etched on the face of the Indian opener, who has been in stellar form
Henry jumps for joy in celebration after dismissing Rohit, one of India's prize wickets
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'It's important to keep our feet on the ground and look forward to the challenge,' said their captain Kane Williamson with typical understatement.
After losing their last three group matches, his team somehow produced a performance when the pressure was at its highest.
For India, the inquest will be long and painful following a dominant group-stage performance in which they lost only once, to England.
Their prolific top three - Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Kohli - were each dismissed for a single, the first such instance in international cricket, while Dhoni used up 72 balls over his 50 in what was surely his last one-day innings for India.
'We're very disappointed,' said Kohli.
'We played outstanding cricket throughout this tournament, so to go out on the basis of 45 minutes of bad cricket is saddening. It breaks your heart, because you work so hard to build momentum and finish No 1 in the table.'
Virat Kohli could not believe it when his review failed after Trent Boult trapped him lbw
Boult knew that India captain Kohli was another prize wicket as the favourites slumped to 5-2
Kohli looked furious as reviews showed umpire's call on the ball clipping the bails
Asked whether the World Cup should consider an IPL-style play-off system, whereby the table-toppers get two cracks at reaching the final, Kohli replied: 'If topping the table means anything, I think these things can come into consideration, given the magnitude of the tournament.'
He made his point calmly, but the manner of India's departure from a competition they had expected to win clearly rankled.
After New Zealand had turned their overnight 211 for five into 239 for eight from their remaining 23 balls, their opening attack of Matt Henry and Trent Boult reduced India to a scarcely believable five for three in conditions still helpful for bowling.
Having made five centuries in eight innings, Sharma edged Henry to Tom Latham, while Rahul fell the same way.
In between, Boult swung one into the pads of Kohli, and prised an lbw decision out of Richard Illingworth.
Without a hundred in this World Cup, Kohli asked for a review, but when the big screen confirmed his fate, the closeness of the decision - umpire's call on height - and the tension of the occasion meant he could barely drag himself off.
New Zealand then took the wicket of India's other opener, KL Rahul, https://footballncrickethub.bookmark.com/family-background-of-ms-dhoni as Henry struck again
Rahul looks skywards as he trudges off as India were reduced to 5 for three chasing 240
Henry claimed his third wicket, that of Dinesh Karthik, as India's stunning collapse continued
India were really struggling on 24 for four when Karthik departed for just six runs
Mitchell Santner claimed the fifth wicket of Rishabh Pant as India threatened to fight back
Pant reacts with annoyance after being caught by Colin de Grandhomme in the deep
Kane Williamson, tumbling backwards, held on to his catch to remove Hardik Pandya
Pandya skied a shot off the bowling of Mitchell Santner and Williamson took the catch
Santner was delighted with Pandya's dismissal for his second wicket of the contest
When Dinesh Karthik was brilliantly caught at backward point by Jimmy Neesham, diving low to his left, India were in disarray at 24 for four.
And it was 92 for six after Mitchell Santner's accurate left-arm spin removed the dangerous Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya.
Facing oblivion, the Indians rallied. Dhoni held up an end, while Jadeja - mystifyingly ignored by the selectors until their final group game - counter-attacked.
He celebrated his half-century with his trademark whirl of the bat, then gestured aggressively toward the media centre, and specifically to former Indian Test batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, who had recently described him as a 'bits and pieces' cricketer.
Rohit Sharma tries to encourage his team-mates from the India balcony
Ravi Jadeja hits out en route to his half-century as India worked their way back into contention
Santner kicks the ground in frustration after an expensive over towards the end of the match
Emotions were boiling over, and New Zealand were beginning to wonder whether they were destined for a seventh semi-final defeat out of eight.
But, with 32 needed off 14 balls, Boult had Jadeja caught by Williamson at cover for 77. Dhoni immediately cut Lockie Ferguson for six, only to lose out to Guptill's arm.
'He was probably the only man on the pitch who could create that run-out,' said Williamson. 'For him to pull off what was a significant turning point in the match was special.'
As debate raged back in India about the decision to bat Dhoni as low as No 7, and the sluggishness of his strike-rate, their former captain trudged off, shaking his head and taking his team's hopes with him.
The last two wickets proved a formality, sending New Zealand into raptures.
Boult said he would prefer to play Australia at Lord's after they 'pumped us in the 2015 final'. But the New Zealanders, written off after losing three group games in a row to Pakistan, Australia and England, are simply delighted to be there.
Jadeja gestures towards the Indian balcony after bringing up his half-century in the chase
But Jadeja would fall attempting a big heave, caught by Kane Williamson off Trent Boult
MS Dhoni was run out by Martin Guptill to all but end India's chances of winning the contest
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