World Cup 2019: Semi-Final Between India and New Zealand Pushed to Reserve Day Due to Rain

The World Cup 2019 semi-final clash between India and New Zealand at Manchester's Old Trafford was cut short on Tuesday due to persistent rain. The game will now pick back up on Wednesday at 3 pm IST. New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat, but struggled early on, losing Martin Guptill and scoring only 27 runs in the opening ten overs. India's pace attack, led by the excellent Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, combined with effective middle-over spin, kept the score in check.

With only 23 balls left in the innings, the umpires were forced to halt the game at 2:00 pm as the rain intensified, leaving New Zealand at 211 for 5 after 46.1 overs.

After a four-hour delay, it became clear that finishing even a shortened 20-over match—the minimum threshold for a Duckworth-Lewis result—was impossible. Consequently, the umpires officially abandoned the day's play at 6:20 pm.

The match will resume as a 50-over contest at 10:30 am, provided the weather holds. New Zealand will start from their current position of 211 for 5, with Ross Taylor remaining unbeaten on 67 and Tom Latham not out on three.

New Zealand's skipper, Kane Williamson, contributed a solid 67 runs after winning the toss, while Jasprit Bumrah spearheaded a tight and controlled Indian bowling effort.