That’s all for today. Thanks for your company and emails – we’ll be back tomorrow for Pakistan v Afghanistan. Goodnight!
Rohit Sharma’s verdict
It’s a good start to the tournament. We know the job is only half done. It’s important for us to stay balanced but to enjoy the moment as well.
[Mohammed Shami] took the opportunity with both hands. He’s got class and used the conditions really well. At one stage we were looking at 300+, so I have to give credit to our bowlers at the back end. It was a great effort to restrict them to 273.
[On Virat Kohli] There’s nothing much to say, honestly, we’ve seen him do this for so many years. He’s such a calm head.
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Tom Latham’s verdict
I thought we played reasonably well. We didn’t capitalise with the bat in the last 10 overs, but full credit to the way India bowled. With the ball we weren’t able to get a double breakthrough, which was a bit disappointing, but I don’t think we were far away. We did a lot of good things out there.
The player of the match is Mohammed Shami, who took five for 54 in his first game of the tournament.
Getting a wicket with the first ball gave me a lot of confidence and impetus. It hasn’t been too hard watching from the sidelines; the team is doing well and it’s important that I support them.
“Surely going for a personal record when the match is won is not that bad?” says Arul Kanhere.
I can see both sides!
India win by four wickets with 12 balls to spare!
48th over: India 274-6 (Jadeja 39, Shami 1) Jadeja finishes the job by hooking Henry for four. He played a vital hand, making an unbeaten 39 from 44 balls. India march on, though New Zealand will take a lot from their performance. They’re the first team to give India a game, and that was after losing an important toss.
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WICKET! India 269-6 (Kohli c Mother Cricket b Henry 95)
This century will be Kohli’s 49th, equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI record. His sense of theatre, his scriptwriting ability, his management of risk… they’re all off the charts.
Kohli takes two on the leg side, then turns down a single. Not everyone will love this – he is basically manipulating the game to get a century, as he did against Bangladesh – but it has made for the most extraordinary noise.
And now the most extraordinary silence. Kohli tries to finish the match with a century-sealing six, as he did against Bangladesh, but holes out to Mother Cricket Glenn Phillips at cow corner. No 49th century for Kohli, at least until next Sunday, but that was a masterclass in how to conduct a runchase.
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47th over: India 263-5 (Kohli 93, Jadeja 35) Out of nothing, Kohli – whose last boundary was in the 38th over – pulls Boult flat and hard over midwicket for six. He’s going to race to a hundred again, isn’t he?
An on-drive for four takes him to 92, with nine needed for victory. Boult bowls a wide, then Kohli takes a single off the penultimate ball. India need 7, Kohli needs 7. Jadeja plays a forward defensive to the last delivery – and gets a standing ovation.
46th over: India 255-5 (Kohli 82, Jadeja 35) Tom Latham gambles by persisting with Ravindra, who doesn’t need to bowl any more overs. I assume the logic is that Jadeja might try another big shot and hole out.
He doesn’t. It’s the same low-risk accumulation that has defined this partnership: six singles plus a wide bring the target down to 19 from 24 balls.
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45th over: India 248-5 (Kohli 79, Jadeja 32) Boult returns to the attack, knowing he has to take at least one wicket in his last two overs or New Zealand are toast. Jadeja is beaten, driving friskily outside off stump, and there are three singles from the over.
44th over: India 245-5 (Kohli 78, Jadeja 30) Ravindra starts with four dot balls to Kohli, who then drives a single to long on. Jadeja, who is playing with cool expertise, dabs another to short third man.
Six overs remaining: two each for Boult, Ferguson and Henry, at least in theory. India need 29 from 36 balls.
43rd over: India 243-5 (Kohli 77, Jadeja 29) It’s been a noble effort from New Zealand, particularly after losing the toss, but India are strolling to victory now. Kohli drives Santner for a single to bring up a low-risk, run-a-ball fifty partnership.
Santner ends a typically crafty spell with figures of 10-0-37-1.
42nd over: India 239-5 (Kohli 75, Jadeja 27) Rachin Ravindra returns, to bowl to Ravindra Jadeja. He charges the second ball and launches it over midwicket for six. Chapman ran round the boundary and then slipped over. That was crucial because he had Henry in support and might have been able to pull off a relay catch.
41st over: India 230-5 (Kohli 74, Jadeja 19) Kohli scorches Santner towards extra cover, where Phillips make another magnificent diving stop. New Zealand are leaving it all out there.
Five from Santner’s over, all from low-risk shots. This has been a very smart partnership, all substance and to hell with style until the finish line is in sight.
40th over: India 225-5 (Kohli 71, Jadeja 17) Rohit’s flying start allowed Kohli to play with minimal risk, yet he’s still scoring at close to a run a ball.
Matt Henry, who has three overs left, returns to the attack. New Zealand have bowled well and fielded brilliantly. There’s just one small problem: Kohli barely looks like playing a false stroke, never mind getting out.
A good over from Henry is milked for three singles, which brings the requirement down to 49 from 60 balls.
39th over: India 222-5 (Kohli 70, Jadeja 15) Kohli is on course for his 24th century in a successful ODI runchase. That’s more than the whole of Bangladesh. South Africa have only scored 43 in their entire history. It’s an astounding record.
38th over: India 217-5 (Kohli 68, Jadeja 12) Jadeja drives Ferguson into the ground and back over his head for a couple; then Kohli drags a perfectly placed pull round the corner for four. India need 61 from 72 balls. While Kohli is there, all is calm.
“Another correction needed,” says John Starbuck. “A wicketkeeker (33rd over) sounds like something a drunken Scot would invent, and rather seamy at that.”
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37th over: India 208-5 (Kohli 63, Jadeja 9) Blimey, this is a gamble from New Zealand. With the left-handed Jadeja at the crease, the occasional offspinner Glenn Phillips comes into the attack. His first ball is too short and yanked through midwicket for four by Kohli. This Kohli innings has been an absolute masterclass in risk management.
The rest of the over is okay for New Zealand, with three singles from the last five balls. But they need Kohli very soon.
“This may be circumstantial, but I can’t help but feel that the light show occured at the worst possible time for India,” writes Kishalay Banerjee. “There was a good partnership going and the break in concentration may well have contributed to the wickets that have just fallen.”
The light show is the new drinks break.
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36th over: India 201-5 (Kohli 57, Jadeja 8) “Great use of DRS to get rid of Rahul,” says Neil Jones. “From my years of playing in the local leagues, and watching on TV, this only reinforces my view that thousands of batsmen have been given not out by ‘getting the left dog down the track’.”
Yep, I completely agree. Watch any YouTube highlights of Tests in the 1990s and you will see some unfathomable not-outs. DRS has given us all new glasses.
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Jadeja is not out! In fact, it wasn’t that close – it was missing leg stump on the angle, so New Zealand lose a review.
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Jadeja played around a delivery that was angled in from round the wicket. This is seriously close…
35.5 overs: India 201-5 (Kohli 57, Jadeja 8) Ferguson replaces Boult, who has two overs remaining. New Zealand still need to find four overs from their fifth bowler, though they will probably gamble on having at least one tailender at the crease when that happens.
Jadeja, who almost rescued India in that 2019 semi-final, pulls and flicks Ferguson for successive boundaries. But now there’s a New Zealand review for LBW! This is very close; my hunch is it’s umpire’s call and therefore not out.
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35th over: India 192-5 (Kohli 56, Jadeja 0) Very good again from Santner, who bowls five dot balls in a row to Jadeja. The required rate is still no problem for India – they need 82 from 90 balls – but it’s getting hairier than they would have liked.
34th over: India 191-5 (Kohli 55, Jadeja 0) India have a long tail in the absence of Shardul Thakur, so one more wicket would make New Zealand favourites. That piece of fielding from Santner that led to the run-out was so good – it would have been a brilliant stop on its own, but he had the awareness and flexibility to throw the ball back towards Boult as he was hitting the floor.
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WICKET! India 191-5 (Yadav run out 2)
Now we have a game. Suryakumar Yadav has been run out, and India are five down for the first time in the tournament. He forced Boult into the covers, where Santner made a brilliant diving stop and threw the ball over his shoulder while on the ground. Yadav was already three-quarters of the way down the pitch, but Kohli had changed his mind and they ended up together at the non-striker’s end. Boult collected the ball and rolled it to Latham, who did the rest.
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33rd over: India 186-4 (Kohli 50, Yadav 2) Santner is now the joint top wicketkeeker in the tournament with 11, alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Dilshan Madushanka.
Suryakumar Yadav, in for the injured Hardik Pandya, is the new batter. He drives his first ball for a single to get off the mark, then Kohli works a single to reach an expert half-century from 60 balls. He is playing quite beautifully.
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WICKET! India 182-4 (Rahul LBW b Santner 27)
KL Rahul has an average! Finally, after scoring 177 runs, he has been dismissed for the first time in the tournament. The ball straightened nicely and technology suggested it would have hit the top of middle stump. Mitchell Santner is quietly having an superb World Cup.
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This is close. Rahul came down the track to a flighted delivery that dipped and straightened to hit the pad first and then the bat. Ball-tracking is coming up…
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New Zealand review for LBW against Rahul! It was Santner’s first ball back in the attack, and he’s convinced it was pad first.
32nd over: India 182-3 (Kohli 48, Rahul 27) Boult returns. No point saving his four overs if New Zealand don’t take a wicket or two in the next half an hour. Rahul times a push through extra cover for a couple, then calls for a change of bat. Talking of which…
A good over from Boult ends with Kohli edging past Latham for four. I think he opened the face, though he certainly didn’t want it to go that fine. Time for drinks and a light show. Tonight, I am Fred Trueman.
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31st over: India 174-3 (Kohli 43, Rahul 24) India have punished the ball ruthlessly tonight. After five good deliveries, Ravindra drifts onto leg stump and is swept firmly round the corner for four by Rahul. India need 100 from 114 balls. It should be a cakewalk.
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30th over: India 168-3 (Kohli 42, Rahul 19) Kohli charges Henry and hammers a drive between extra cover and mid-off for four. He looks in total control of this chase, and of this tournament: his average is now in excess of 150. The only man above him is KL Rahul, who doesn’t have an average because nobody can get him out.
29th over: India 160-3 (Kohli 36, Rahul 17) Ravindra tempts Kohli with a bit of flight, and instantly regrets it when Kohli opens the face to slice the ball handsomely over extra cover for six.
Rahul is beaten by a jaffa that turns sharply past the edge. Latham whips the bails off but Rahul’s back foot stays grounded.
28th over: India 151-3 (Kohli 28, Rahul 16) Tom Latham continues to use his quicks in short bursts. Matt Henry, who had no luck with the new ball, replaces Lockie Ferguson.
Kohli keeps out a straight ball that keeps low, then whirls a hook for one of four singles in the over. A wicket now would make this very interesting.
27th over: India 147-3 (Kohli 26, Rahul 14) Kohli is taking few risks, particularly against the spinners, and that allows Ravindra to bowl five successive dot balls. The required rate is fine, around 5.3 per over, so it’s sensible game management from Kohli.
26th over: India 146-3 (Kohli 26, Rahul 13) A vicious lifter from Ferguson hits Rahul on the glove, though he is able to drop the ball safely at his feet. Rahul takes a risky single next ball – but Phillips, of all people, doesn’t pick up cleanly on the run.
Ferguson has gone for a few, 45 from six overs, but he looks the biggest wicket-taking threat. And wickets are the only way New Zealand can win this.
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25th over: India 140-3 (Kohli 24, Rahul 10) Rahul sweeps Ravindra firmly round the corner for four. Like Rohit and Kohli, he looks in peak form at the perfect time.
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24th over: India 135-3 (Kohli 24, Rahul 5) Ferguson replaces Boult, whose last four overs are being saved for what New Zealand hope will be a tight finish. KL Rahul, who still hasn’t been dismissed in this tournament, gets off the mark with a sensational back-foot square drive for four.
23rd over: India 129-3 (Kohli 23, Rahul 0) A stroke of fortune for Kohli, who bottom-edges Ravindra just past the stumps. The pressure is building, with only one run from that over as well. India have scored 11 in the last five overs.
22nd over: India 128-3 (Kohli 22, Rahul 0) Excellent stuff from Boult, whose figures in this second spell are 2-0-3-1. Another quick wicket would put New Zealand on top.
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WICKET! India 128-3 (Iyer c Conway b Boult 33)
The wicket New Zealand desperately needed. Shreyas Iyer swats a short ball from Boult towards deep square leg, where Devon Conway runs in and swoops forward to take a terrific low catch.
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21st over: India 127-2 (Kohli 21, Iyer 33) The left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra replaces Santner. After three dot balls, Iyer punishes a bit of width with a back cut for four. A single brings up the fifty partnership at more than a run a ball. India are cruising, again. They need 147 from 29 overs.
20th over: India 121-2 (Kohli 20, Iyer 28) Trent Boult replaces Lockie Ferguson, who took two wickets but went for 33 from four overs. It’s a good over, just two from it.
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19th over: India 119-2 (Kohli 19, Iyer 27) Santner has bowled well and has nice figures (6-0-23-0), but it’s the second nought that really matters.
“When I used to frequent the County Ground in Taunton in the late 70s, the venue now known as Cyderabad, fog would often cause the crowd to lose sight of the players,” says Kim Thonger. “But for some reason but this phenomenon only affected those spectators watching from the cider tent.”
Honk!
18th over: India 117-2 (Kohli 18, Iyer 26) Kohli pings Ferguson past extra cover for four, another brilliant stroke, and then tucks another boundary at the hip. Like Australia at the 2007 World Cup, India look miles better than everyone else. Australia won all 12 games in that competition and didn’t even come close to losing. Something similar may happen this year – six weeks to confirm the bleedin’ obvious.
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17th over: India 106-2 (Kohli 9, Iyer 26) India know Santner is dangerous and are happy to sit on him while the required rate is so low. Four low-risk singles from the over.
16th over: India 102-2 (Kohli 9, Iyer 23) Shreyas Iyer forces Ferguson to deep cover for two more.
The players are back on and all is well with the world.
There’s nothing new under the sun, and fog has stopped play before. In 1998, it wiped out an entire Test match.
The third umpire has confirmed that the players won’t return until the fog clears. There’s still plenty of time to get the match done – they only need to bowl another 26 balls for there to be a result.
“According to TMS, what they thought was smoke from a fire turns out to be a very low cloud,” says John Starbuck. “Has ‘cloud stopped play’ occurred before?”
I can remember sun stopping play, when Dickie Bird started ranting at Old Trafford in 1995, but not fog.
Yep, the players are going off. Virat Kohli doesn’t look thrilled – India need to bat 20 overs for there to be a result, and they are well ahead on DLS – but he doesn’t have any say in the matter. It’s very foggy out there, as foggy as it was when Mark Linkous woke up in that horse’s stomach.
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Fog stops play!
15.4 overs: India 100-2 (Kohli 9, Iyer 21) Iyer times Ferguson to deep cover, where a misfield from Chapman turns one run into four. He gets another boundary with a fierce pull round the corner. Boult made a scrambling stop at long leg but the ball slithered under his hand and onto the boundary sponge. It feels like Iyer has had a quiet tournament so far, yet he’s still averaging 60.
The mist is causing more problems and it looks like the players might be going off.
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15th over: India 91-2 (Kohli 6, Iyer 13) Santner continues to tie Kohli down, making it nine dot balls in a row across two overs. After a brief pause due to mist wafting across the ground, Kohli drives a single to long off.
A rare poor ball from Santner, quicker but on leg stump, is touched fine for four by Shreyas. He has raced to 13 from six balls.
14th over: India 84-2 (Kohli 4, Iyer 8) Shreyas Iyer’s first scoring shot is a beautiful drive through extra cover for four. His second is equally eyecatching, a thumping pull through square leg when Ferguson tests him out with the short ball.
WICKET! India 76-2 (Gill c Mitchell b Ferguson 26)
We might have a game on here. Shubman Gill uppercuts a short ball from Ferguson straight to third man, where Daryl Mitchell takes a two-handed catch and holds the pose just inside the boundary. Gill, who has flattered to deceive since his return, hit five gorgeous boundaries in his 30-ball 26.
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13th over: India 76-1 (Gill 26, Kohli 4) Santner is varying his pace constantly, and at this stage India aren’t confident enough to attack him. The result is another thrifty over, one from it.
In other news, here’s a story of Grace and power.
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12th over: India 75-1 (Gill 25, Kohli 4) The new batter is Virat Kohli, who gets off the mark with a glorious square drive for four.
WICKET! India 71-1 (Rohit b Ferguson 46)
No we shan’t, because Lockie Ferguson has picked him up! It was a loosener from Ferguson, full and very wide; Rohit threw his hands at it but dragged the ball back onto the stumps. He falls for a thrilling 40-ball 46, with four sixes.
11th over: India 71-0 (Rohit 46, Gill 25) Rohit is dropped by Latham off Santner. It was a tough chance, a pretty big deflection, and Latham couldn’t hang on. Rohit bleaches New Zealand’s wound by slog-sweeping the next ball for six. Shall we just give him the World Cup now?
10th over: India 63-0 (Rohit 39, Gill 24) Rohit scoops Henry for four more, then makes room to drive over mid-off for six. This is so good to watch, an all-time great in the most exquisite form. at the perfect time.
Once again, India dealt largely in boundaries during the Powerplay: 54 of their 63 runs have come from fours and sixes.
9th over: India 53-0 (Rohit 29, Gill 24) Mitch Santner replaces Trent Boult, who was manhandled in a spell of 4-0-29-0. He’s bowled superbly all tournament and is straight into his work, conceding just a single from his first over.
8th over: India 52-0 (Rohit 28, Gill 24) Dinesh Karthik, commentating on Sky, says the pitch is much better for batting than it was at the start of the New Zealand innings. India are formidable enough without winning important tosses.
Henry continues to bowl beautifully, though, zipping another delivery past Gill’s outside edge. That’s at least five times he’s beaten him. Trouble is, Gill continues to put away another remotely loose. A stunning flick past mid-on for four brings up another fifty partnership with Rohit. It’s the 11th time in only 17 innings that they have added at least 50 together.
7th over: India 48-0 (Rohit 28, Gill 20) Gill goes past 2,000 ODI runs – in just 38 innings, a new record – with a pristine extra-cover drive off Boult. The next ball is driven for four as well, this time slightly squarer.
6th over: India 36-0 (Rohit 25, Gill 11) Gill is beaten by three consecutive deliveries from Henry, who has been the main threat so far. But the next ball is fractionally too straight and Gill times it to the midwicket boundary. It’s a good context.
5th over: India 32-0 (Rohit 25, Gill 7) Boult continues round the wicket to Rohit, who pings a cut shot that is saved brilliantly by the diving Phillips. Santner did something similar in the previous over.
A 15ft fielder couldn’t have stopped the next shot, a seemingly effortless straight six. Rohit is in outrageous touch right now.
The over ends with Gill surviving a run-out referral. Rohit nailed another straight drive, this time along the floor, and Boult screamed an appeal as soon as the ball hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end. It went upstairs, but Gill was safely in his crease. They spent an age trying to decide whether Boult touched the ball when they could have just checked if Gill had stayed home.
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4th over: India 26-0 (Rohit 19, Gill 7) Gill plays and misses at Henry’s first delivery. Four more dot balls follow – but then Gill skims a lovely square drive for four.
3rd over: India 22-0 (Rohit 19, Gill 3) India have started with authority, and ominously for New Zealand there has been almost no swing. Boult switches round the wicket as a result – and it almost pays off when Rohit toe-ends a lusty swipe just short of Mitchell at slip. The ball scuttles between his legs and away for four.
“If the humid cauldron called Bombay drained England yesterday, the cold weather today (please remember it is winter in India when the mercury falls below 20 degrees Celsius) might actually be an advantage to the Kiwis,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “I predict an NZ win and believe we may have to wait another day for a close match.”
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2nd over: India 15-0 (Rohit 14, Gill 1) Matt Henry’s first ball jags back to hit Shubman Gill on the pad. New Zealand plead for an LBW without success. It looked high and may also have hit him outside the line.
Henry then beats Rohit, who punishes him for his effrontery by taking ten off the next two balls. The first was a huge six, clattered over midwicket on the run, the second a wristy clip behind square for four.
In other news, the luckless Reece Topley has been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup with a broken finger. Who would you call up? Brydon Carse would be my pick, I think.
1st over: India 4-0 (Rohit 4, Gill 0) Boult’s second ball drifts onto the pads, and Rohit rolls his wrists to put it away for four behind square. There’s a bit of inswing, nothing dramatic, and Rohit plays out the remainder of the over without alarm.
Trent Boult, New Zealand’s new-ball maestro, flicks the ball up a few times while he waits for Rohit Sharma to take guard. Let’s play.
Here come the players. Buckle up: these first 10 overs will probably decide the game.
Thanks Taha, hello everyone. We may just, at the 21st time of asking, be about to witness the first real thriller of this World Cup. India are favourites despite a magnificent, career-best 130 from Daryl Mitchell, mainly because Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami put on a death-bowling clinic to restrict New Zealand to 54 from the last 10 overs. But India know from the bitterest experience four years ago that Trent Boult and Matt Henry regularly deliver masterclasses in new-ball bowling. Realistically, New Zealand need early wickets plural.
India were brilliant there at the death, with six wickets falling in the last six overs. Shami took five, but you can’t keep your eyes off Bumrah, who was brilliant across the innings. New Zealand have still got a score to play with, though, thanks largely to the quiet genius of Daryl Mitchell. His 130 came off 127 balls, and that straight drive really is something else. I’m off now, Rob Smyth will take you through to the finish.
India need 274 to win from 50 overs
Full toss from Shami and Mitchell plays his trademark straight drive, all the way for six. And then a four, this time smacked over cover. But Mitchell’s terrific innings finally comes to an end on 130, the ball finding Kohli at long-on. Shami has five wickets in his first game of the tournament, which is just another bicep flex from the hosts. And then a run out to close the innings, with Boult missing with his swing and Rahul taking the stumps down to dismiss Ferguson.
49th over: New Zealand 263-8 (Mitchell 120, Ferguson 1) Bumrah, masterful at the death, spears the ball in full and concedes just three runs off the over. How do you play him?
48th over: New Zealand 260-8 (Mitchell 118, Ferguson 0) No hat-trick for Shami, but he’s still on for a five-for. Daryl Mitchell is running out of mates.
WICKET! Henry b Shami 0 (New Zealand 260-8)
Shami’s on a hat-trick! Full, quick, straight and Matt Henry walks back.
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WICKET! Santner b Shami 1 (New Zealand 260-7)
Hoooop. Shami nails a gorgeous inswinging yorker, and Mitchell Santner, as good a cricketer as he is, ain’t playing that.
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WICKET! Chapman c Kohli b Bumrah 6 (New Zealand 257-6)
Bumrah goes full but not full enough, and Mitchell whips him away to the leg side for four. Chapman is out off the final ball of the over, though, clothing a pull to the diving Kohli at square leg.
47th over: New Zealand 257-6 (Mitchell 117, Santner 0)
46th over: New Zealand 249-5 (Chapman 3, Mitchell 112) Awesome from Jadeja, who collects at mid-off and fires in a direct hit at the non-striker’s end, but Mark Chapman is safe. Siraj finishes his 10 overs without any bother, conceding just four. Mitchell seems to have lost a bit of rhythm in the last few overs, and he misses the final ball of the over attempting a big hit.
45th over: New Zealand 245-5 (Mitchell 110, Chapman 1) Terrific from Kuldeep. He went for 48 off his first five overs. His next five? 2-25.
WICKET! Phillips c Rohit b Kuldeep 23 (New Zealand 243-5)
Now this is interesting – Kuldeep has to return to finish his 10 overs, his nine previous having gone for 71. Phillips is on strike, and he’ll have to get crazy from the get-go. The opening delivery is a dot, and then Phillips goes for a wild swipe, the ball flies high into the air…. three players, including the keeper, converge at point, but it’s Rohit who holds on.
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44th over: New Zealand 243-4 (Phillips 23, Mitchell 109) Finally, a boundary for New Zealand, with Phillips heaving Shami behind square on the leg side for six. Five singles follow.
43rd over: New Zealand 232-4 (Mitchell 107, Phillips 14) There’s a run-out shout off the first ball of Bumrah’s eighth over, but Mitchell is safe running towards the keeper’s end. Two dots follow before Mitchell clips a low full toss behind square on the leg side – it looks certain for a four, but Jadeja gets a good foot on it. And then there’s another terrific stop on the boundary, this time from the diving Shreyas Iyer at long-on.
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42nd over: New Zealand 226-4 (Mitchell 102, Phillips 13) Mitchell may have got to three figures but India have done very well these last few overs, the boundaries having completely dried up. Shami only allows for four singles.
Century for Daryl Mitchell!
A run-a-ball hundred for Daryl Mitchell! He gets there with a single through the covers off Bumrah and then roars into the night. A terrific innings from one of the best batters on the planet, but it’s now time to push on further and get New Zealand to 300.
41st over: New Zealand 222-4 (Mitchell 100, Phillips 11)
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40th over: New Zealand 219-4 (Phillips 9, Mitchell 99) Phillips has started uncomfortably, the feet not exactly working at the moment. Mitchell moves to 99, and India have pulled things back well in these last few overs.
39th over: New Zealand 214-4 (Phillips 6, Mitchell 97) Kuldeep, who, despite his figures, hasn’t actually bowled badly, gets some nice drop outside off to cause the tentative Phillips some bother. That’s a top over from the wrist-spinner, just five runs coming off it.
38th over: New Zealand 209-4 (Phillips 2, Mitchell 96) Bumrah sends in a thunderous yorker that Phillips only just manages to get his bat down on. Four singles off it.
37th over: New Zealand 205-4 (Mitchell 94, Phillips 0) Glenn Phillips is the man in at No 6.
New Zealand are going OK, but this game is only emphasising how hard to beat India are. They're missing their most irreplaceable player, they've dropped a load of catches, New Zealand have batted well and taken apart one bowler, and still India will probably be chasing around 300
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) October 22, 2023
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WICKET! Latham lbw Kuldeep 5 (New Zealand 205-4)
Latham misses out on the sweep, but the ball from Kuldeep runs down the leg side for three byes. Mitchell sees Kuldeep’s quicker ball early and tidily flicks it around the corner for four.
But Kuldeep strikes later in the over, trapping Latham back on the crease. The finger goes up, Latham reviews, but it’s three reds.
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36th over: New Zealand 197-3 (Latham 5, Mitchell 89) Bumrah finally returns for the first time since his new-ball spell, and Mitchell, seeing them big, launches him over mid-off for four. Bumrah responds with a spearing yorker which Mitchell digs out. The over is closed with Mitchell flicking a full toss down the leg side for another boundary.
35th over: New Zealand 187-3 (Mitchell 79, Latham 5) Mitchell reverse-sweeps for two, with Suryakumar Yadav – at deep point – and Bumrah – behind square on the off side – having an animated debate over whose ball it was to claim. Latham sweeps and lobs the ball over Bumrah at short fine leg for four.
34th over: New Zealand 180-3 (Mitchell 76, Latham 1) New Zealand’s stand-in skipper, Tom Latham, is the next man in.
WICKET! Ravindra c Gill b Shami 75 (New Zealand 178-3)
India finally hold on! Shami launches a cutter and Ravindra plays a good-looking shot – but only into the hands of Shubman Gill at long-on. This fine partnership is finally broken.
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33rd over: New Zealand 173-2 (Mitchell 74, Ravindra 75) Right then, it’s Kuldeep to continue. The left-armer escapes any damage from Ravindra, but it’s the battle with Mitchell to keep an eye on. Kuldeep fires in a fast delivery, front of the hand, and it strikes Mitchell – who premeditated a reverse-sweep – on the arm. Ouch. AND THEN A DROP!
Oh my. Mitchell sees flight outside off, launches it to Bumrah at long off who not only puts it down but sees it run away for four. Got to feel for Kuldeep, who thought his fortunes were about to change.
32nd over: New Zealand 167-2 (Ravindra 74, Mitchell 69) Total flair from Ravindra, whipping Shami over midwicket for four. Touches of Yuvraj Singh in that stroke.
Confession time: I’ve not loved much about this World Cup so far, but I’ve throughly enjoyed this tune.
31st over: New Zealand 160-2 (Ravindra 68, Mitchell 68) Kuldeep returns, having been expensive in his opening spell. And Mitchell delivers another brilliant shot down the ground – no skipping down the pitch for this one, just a meaty swing for six. Rohit Sharma’s got a problem here, with no proper sixth bowler to use as a way of making up the rest of Kuldeep’s overs.
30th over: New Zealand 147-2 (Ravindra 65, Mitchell 60) Jadeja is in for his 10th over on the bounce, and Mitchell tries to play an ambitious drive over extra cover… he gets an outside edge that narrowly evades the stumps, and Rahul can’t hold on either. The threat of Jadeja has been seen off.
29th over: New Zealand 141-2 (Ravindra 61, Mitchell 58) Siraj, out of nowhere, unleashes a terrific cross-seam yorker, trapping Ravindra lbw. It’s given, but reviewed… looks like it’s pitching outside leg, and ball-tracking proves it. Ravindra survives, and this big partnership still has potential to become a monster one.
28th over: New Zealand 138-2 (Mitchell 57, Ravindra 59) Jadeja finally comes in for some punishment, Mitchell unleashing the hack down the ground for six. Mitchell’s now averaging above 50 in ODIs, to go with a Test average of 57.21. Some player.
Fifty for Daryl Mitchell!
27th over: New Zealand 131-2 (Mitchell 50, Ravindra 59) Siraj goes short to Mitchell, who cloths the pull… but the ball escapes the reach of Kohli, scrambling at midwicket. Mitchell ends the over with a single, taking him to a half-century off 60 balls. Top knock.
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26th over: New Zealand 128-2 (Mitchell 48, Ravindra 58) Jadeja skips through another over, the Black Caps happy to knock him about for three singles.
25th over: New Zealand 125-2 (Mitchell 46, Ravindra 57) The hundred partnership comes up off 102 balls – top stuff from Mitchell and Ravindra. Siraj is back, and Mitchell pulls away for four.
24th over: New Zealand 117-2 (Ravindra 55, Mitchell 40) India just starting to look a bit frustrated out there in the field as the New Zealand pair run hard, picking up three twos off Jadeja.
Fifty for Rachin Ravindra!
23rd over: New Zealand 110-2 (Ravindra 50, Mitchell 38) A 56-ball half-century for Ravindra, who’s well settled now after a tricky start against the quicks. He’s having a terrific tournament, this his third 50+ score in five knocks.
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22nd over: New Zealand 107-2 (Ravindra 47, Mitchell 38) Ravindra cuts away Jadeja for four, seizing upon a slightly shorter delivery.
21st over: New Zealand 100-2 (Ravindra 40, Mitchell 38) Mitchell hits Kuldeep for another six! Again, it’s the shimmy down the pitch and straight hit all the way.
20th over: New Zealand 91-2 (Mitchell 31, Ravindra 39) After attacking Kuldeep, the New Zealand pair takes just one off Jadeja, the left-armer – bowling flatter and faster – far more difficult to get under for a straight thwack.
19th over: New Zealand 90-2 (Mitchell 30, Ravindra 39) Shot! Ravindra skips down the pitch to hit Kuldeep straight for six. And then it’s Mitchell’s turn to do the same – he sees a bit of flight and wallops the wrist-spinner over long-on. Fine batting from the New Zealanders.
18th over: New Zealand 74-2 (Ravindra 30, Mitchell 23) Jadeja races through his overs too quickly, making my life harder. C’mon man, give me a break.
17th over: New Zealand 72-2 (Mitchell 22, Ravindra 29) With New Zealand rebuilding, India need to mix things up; in comes Kuldeep Yadav to twirl a few. Ravindra nearly chips one back to the bowler with a leading edge, but it drops short.
16th over: New Zealand 65-2 (Mitchell 16, Ravindra 28) Jadeja, with his programmed left-arm spin (tight lines, decent pace), concedes four singles.
15th over: New Zealand 61-2 (Ravindra 26, Mitchell 14) A beautiful shot from Ravindra straight after the break – Shami is driven down the ground for four.
14th over: New Zealand 56-2 (Ravindra 21, Mitchell 14) Three singles off Jadeja’s over and time for drinks.
“Good morning Taha,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “Taha has no breakfast. Bumrah has no wickets. Jadeja drops a catch. Kohli has not been mentioned so far in the OBO. Strange times indeed that we live in.”
13th over: New Zealand 53-2 (Ravindra 19, Mitchell 13) Ah man, I’d say my favourite shot going at the moment is the Daryl Mitchell thump down the ground. It’s here with the third ball of Shami’s over, with Mitchell launching over mid-on for four.
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12th over: New Zealand 48-2 (Ravindra 18, Mitchell 9) Jadeja now has the ball and he’s a touch too short with his second ball – Ravindra cuts away behind point for four. Three singles follow.
11th over: New Zealand 40-2 (Mitchell 7, Ravindra 12) Rohit is off the field – looks like he hurt his finger while fielding in the previous over. Oooh, Shami goes up for a catch behind and it’s given! But Ravindra reviews immediately. He swiped across the line, and UltraEdge shows there was no bat on it. Ravindra picks up two with the next ball before flicking Shami through midwicket for four. And then a drop from Ravindra Jadeja! Rachin Ravindra was giving him catching practise at backward point, but it’s spilled by one of the best fielders in the world.
10th over: New Zealand 34-2 (Ravindra 6, Mitchell 7) Siraj continues and after a couple of wides, Mitchell gets a tickle that runs away to fine-leg for four. A bumper to close the over is down the leg side for another wide, and then another wide as Siraj goes short again to Mitchell. A dot finally brings the set and powerplay to a close.
9th over: New Zealand 26-2 (Mitchell 3, Ravindra 6) Daryl Mitchell hits through the covers to pick up three with his first ball. Ravindra finally nails one off the middle, cover-driving Shami for four.
WICKET! Young b Shami 17 (New Zealand 19-2)
After the excellence of Siraj and Bumrah, it’s Shami who strikes with his first ball! He gets a bit of seam movement back into Young, a touch of extra bounce perhaps, and it’s chopped onto the stumps. India are on top.
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8th over: New Zealand 19-1 (Young 17, Ravindra 2)Just one slip now for Young, but he’s stood wide, at third/fourth slip. Siraj is relentless, and all Young can claim after five dots is a single to take strike for the next set.
7th over: New Zealand 18-1 (Young 16, Ravindra 2) Young gets away with one – a thick edge flies away from the slip cordon and to the third-man boundary for four. Bumrah’s cramping both batters with tight lines and a hint of shape.
6th over: New Zealand 13-1 (Young 11, Ravindra 2) Siraj is getting some decent shape away from the left-hander/into the right-hander. Ravindra and Young exchange singles before Siraj closes the over with a terrific off-cutter that Ravindra can’t lay a bat on.
5th over: New Zealand 11-1 (Ravindra 1, Young 10) Bumrah bowls one from over the wicket to Ravindra before immediately switching to around. There’s a vague lbw shout… and Rohit decides to review. It’s poor from the India captain, the ball comfortably missing leg stump.
4th over: New Zealand 9-1 (Young 9, Ravindra 0) Rachin Ravindra is the man in at three, and India are looking the part already.
WICKET! Conway c Iyer b Siraj 0 (New Zealand 9-1)
The pressure builds and India strike! Conway goes for a nine-ball duck, flicking to the man catching between midwicket and square leg. The ball was on the pads, the shot was on, but he couldn’t keep the ball on the carpet.
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3rd over: New Zealand 9-0 (Conway 0, Young 9) Young looks like he wants to leave a Bumrah delivery, but he gets a chunky piece on it, with the ball finding the third-man rope. Bumrah’s moving the ball both ways, the seam immaculate, and this has been more Test than ODI so far, the openers having to be watchful.
2nd over: New Zealand 5-0 (Young 5, Conway 0) Siraj bounces in from the other end, two slips waiting as he shapes the ball away from the right-handed Will Young. The second ball is a touch too wide and short, and Young times the ball nicely behind point for four. Young leaves the next three balls before nabbing a single.
1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Young 0, Conway 0) Bumrah, from over the wicket, moves a few away from the left-handed Conway before bringing one back in. The opener doesn’t take any risks – a maiden.
The popcorn’s no good. Someone please order me some brekkie. Anyway, Jasprit Bumrah’s got the ball, Devon Conway’s on strike. Let’s play!
The anthems are getting underway. I’m off to make a coffee and sort some breakfast real quick. For some reason, the only thing I’ve got at home is a half-eaten packet of popcorn. (Yeah, I’ve really got my life together.) Let’s hope my choice of sustenance is fitting for the game.
“If I remember correctly, the last time India and NZ played each other in a world cup match in India was the 2016 T20 World Cup, where India were all out for 79 at the hands of Mitchell Santner,” writes John. “Repeat incoming?”
Sounds about right – a proper turner, that pitch in Nagpur. Santner took 4-11, Ish Sodhi’s leggies nabbed 3-18 and Nathan McCullum got a couple too.
The teams:
🚨 Toss and Team Update 🚨
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2023
Rohit Sharma wins the toss and #TeamIndia have elected to bowl first in Dharamsala!
Two changes in the side as Suryakumar Yadav & Mohd. Shami are named in the eleven 👌
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/Ua4oDBM9rn#CWC23 | #MenInBlue | #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/6dy150WC1S
A toss win for India and Rohit Sharma opts to bowl first in Dharamshala. Tom Latham confirms an unchanged XI. Follow play LIVE in Aotearoa with @skysportnz. LIVE scoring | https://t.co/aNkBrDiAuv #CWC23 #BACKTHEBLACKCAPS pic.twitter.com/Dssftpilgo
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 22, 2023
India are without the injured Hardik Pandya, and Shardul Thakur drops out too. Mohammed Shami and Suryakumar Yadav are in for them. New Zealand are unchanged.
India win the toss and choose to bowl first
Rohit tosses the coin and wins the call – India will field. Looks a good pitch, he says, and he’s backing his boys to chase. Tom Latham says he would’ve bowled too.
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Here’s a reminder of when these two teams met in the 2019 World Cup semis. What a game.
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to the big one. It’s the two sides who have won four from four, India versus New Zealand.
The hosts have - expectedly - cruised through the opening exchanges, the big names delivering: Kohli and Rohit are in great nick, and Bumrah has 10 wickets across four matches. India’s bowlers have yet to face a ball.
New Zealand shouldn’t surprise us. They were runners-up in 2015 and 2019, and they’ve reached the semis in each of the last three T20 World Cups too – they’re a cracking tournament side. And yet, well, they’ve caught me slightly off guard. Mitchell Santner’s bowled beautifully, topping the wicket-taking charts while going at less than five an over. Each of the top six has reached fifty at least once in the tournament.
So something’s got to give here. I’ll be here to take you through the first half, with play to begin at 9.30am BST. Drop me a line and let’s talk about anything and everything – and by that I very much mean let’s begin dissecting England’s nightmare World Cup defence.
