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Rain takes India-New Zealand WC semi-final into reserve day

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JULY 09: Ground staff are pictured as rain continues to delay play during the Semi-Final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between India and New Zealand at Old Trafford on July 09, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Kriralok Desk:

The World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand will held into a second day after rain prevented the match finishing as scheduled at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

New Zealand had struggled to 211-5 off 46.1 overs when persistent rain worsened sufficiently for the umpires to halt play at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) with 23 balls left in the innings.

Ross Taylor was 67 not out and Tom Latham three not out after New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who won the toss, had made a painstaking 67.

After more than four hours off the field, and with fresh rain falling, the match officials decided there was no prospect of completing the minimum 20 overs per side game required under the Duckworth-Lewis method for rain-affected matches.

They abandoned play for the day at 6:20 pm (1720 GMT).

The match, which remains a 50 overs per side contest, will now resume at 10:30 am (0930 GMT), weather permitting.

If a result cannot be achieved on Wednesday, India will qualify for Sunday’s final at Lord’s by virtue of having finished first to New Zealand’s fourth in the 10-team group stage.

The Black Caps, whose group match with India was washed out, found runs hard to come by, with paceman Jasprit Bumrah taking one wicket for 25 runs in eight overs.

Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja enjoyed a miserly return of 1-34 in his maximum 10 overs.

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