ODI World Cup.

[K]

It's First SF time!

NZ win toss, bat.

For NZ, Ferguson has recovered in time to replace Southee.
For India, Bhuvneshwar has been retained ahead of Shami, and Yuzvendra Chahal replaces Kuldeep Yadav.

Odds: India 72%, NZ 28%.
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There's much fan and commentator criticism of India's decision to leave out Shami, but Shami has bowled rubbish in the death overs. His last few overs against England were pathetic. If they had chosen him, they'd have needed to try to bowl him out early, e.g. bowl 7 overs straight with the new ball and the last three some time in the second Powerplay.

Ian Smith says NZ will be relieved Shami is not there.
Ganguly says he'd have preferred Kuldeep to Chahal.

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Bhuvi bowls the first over.

First ball huge LBW shout. Not out. Review. Not out! And India lose the review. Impact was umpire's call, but it was projected to miss leg stump.

Guptill survives. He's already had two first-ball ducks in this WC.

Ganguly: "Not a very good review by India."

Smith (on the pitch): "It looks identical" (to the run-orgy pitch three across they used previously).

Maiden first over.

NZ 0/0 (1).

Line: 268.5.

[K]

Bumrah's econ. rate in the first Powerplay is 3.03. Amazing.

He beats Nicholls.

NZ have gone 9 balls without a run.

The camera pans to Williamson looking serious.

Two maidens to start for India.

0/0 (2).

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Guptill looks nervous.

Another two dot balls. Then a nice drive from Guptill is fielded by the bowler. I initially thought it was the stumps that fielded it. Finally after 16 dot balls, a single, and NZ are away.

The broadcast predictor says 292. At the start it was 300.

cricinfo forecasts 270.

Line: 259.5.

NZ 0/1 (3).

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Guptill is gone for 1 (14)!

NZ 1/1 (3.3). The best Test batsman in the world comes in to try to rescue his side. The pressure on him must be huge. If they get him out early, it's hard to see how NZ can win.

Ian Smith on Guptill: "A tournament to forget."

M. Taylor: "There's no doubt he's out of form."

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Williamson takes a single from the last ball.

NZ 1/2 (4).

Ganguly: "At the moment, it's complete dominance by India."

[K]

Nicholls steals a quick single to get off the mark. 1* (10).
They went without hesitation. Good running.

Guptill has a pained look on his face, looking on from the dressing room.

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A nice backward defensive shot from the LHed Nicholls. But NZ need to start scoring soon. They've been hitting the fielders a lot. No boundaries so far.

In the 6th over, the broadcast predictor says 279.

Line: 245.5.

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In the 8th over, the broadcast predictor says 275.

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Kane Williamson's is the hand that steadies New Zealand's ship

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27143430/kane-williamson-hand-steadies-new-zealand-ship

"Calling upon all of those talents is how he stays unruffled even when he has to walk out to the crease way too early. It is also why he is so badass on bad pitches, aka those that make cricket worth watching. You know, the ones that favour the bowlers just that little bit."


Before this match, Williamson had scored 30.23% of his side's runs at this WC.
Next were Rohit (29.05%), Shakib (28.25%), Warner (25.02%).

[K]

NZ 1/27 (10).

Slow going, but at least no more wickets have been lost.

Odds: India 76%, NZ 24%.
Line: 258.5.
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In the 11th over, a big LBW shout against Nicholls is turned down. India have no review left.

Manjrekar says Kohli hates "umpire's call" being not out. Sure enough, the replay shows it would have been umpire's call.

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Next over, Williamson pulls for the second 4 of his innings. The first was a textbook straight drive.

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NZ 1/52 (14). Drinks.

Odds: India 70%, NZ 30%.
Line: 270.5.

Nicholls had physio work during the drinks break.

M. Taylor: "What you don't want to be is 4/50."
He suggests NZ have a competitive total in mind, not a huge one. They can then turn to their strengths, bowling and fielding, to keep them in the game.

The broadcast predictor says 288. (And it still says that at the start of the 17th over.)

And now Pandya looks injured too. Have there been this many injuries in previous WCs? The players are sacrificing their bodies on the altar of meaningless T20 competitions.

[K]

5 wides. More bad keeping from Dhoni.

And Pandya has limped off the field. Problems for India now.

And later in the over, Kane has to scramble back into his crease at the non-striker's end, as the straight drive from Nicholls deflects from the bowler's hand (but doesn't hit the stumps).

Isa Guhar says you have to be seriously unlucky to be dismissed in that way. I disagree...

[K]

Jadeja bowls Nicholls. The ball turned back and went through the gate.

NZ 2/69 (18.2). Ross Taylor in.

An important wicket, with the uncertainty over Pandya's fitness to bowl.

Healy: "Great length from Jadeja. ... They've used the conditions really, really well."

And a sharply spinning, bouncing delivery to end the over. Jadeja is looking dangerous.

Odds: India 73%, NZ 27%.
Line 251.5.
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In the 20th over, the broadcast predictor (still) says 288.

Chahal and Jadeja are both getting sharp turn.
Steve Waugh says NZ will be revising their target, possibly to around 270.

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In the 29th over, the broadcast predictor says 263.

Odds: India 76%, NZ 24%.
Line: 248.5.

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Williamson, who's just reached 50, top edges the short ball from Pandya and it goes fine for 4.

Some good fortune for NZ, following a couple of close LBW shouts turned down that would have been umpire's call.

Sanjay Manjrekar says India are trying to get through Pandya's overs now, before his injury makes it even harder.

[K]

Bumrah returns to bowl the 32nd over, as Kohli looks for a breakthrough.

Bumrah gets an edge from Taylor, but it falls short of Dhoni.

Manjrekar: "Did the ball carry?"

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NZ 2/122 (33). Drinks.

cricinfo forecasts 247.

Odds: India 75%, NZ 25%.
Line: 246.5.

M. Taylor: "One of them has to bat through."

Manjrekar says it'll be interesting to see what happens now the drinks break has been taken, because if there's been a message from the coach to Ross Taylor you'll see it now.

Manjrekar on NZ's tactics: "It's slightly hard to understand... Something's got to give."

[K]

Williamson hits the first ball of Jadeja's over for 3, with Pant making a good save.

Three balls later, Williamson slog sweeps Jadeja for 4.

Next ball, an appeal for stumping, but his foot was grounded throughout.

And last ball, he gives himself room and is almost bowled.

An eventful 35th over.

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Williamson edges Chahal and is out! 67 (95).

NZ 3/134 (35.2). Neesham in.

Trouble for NZ now.

Healy: "They've asked Williamson to do too much."

M. Taylor says Williamson had words with R. Taylor as he went off, and no doubt it was to say he has to bat through.

The broadcast predictor says 244.

cricinfo's forecast drops from 242 to 230.

Odds: India 81%, NZ 19%.
Line: 235.5.
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Doull: "137 dot balls."

Nicholas: "Ross Taylor just doesn't have the old mojo."

Ross Taylor gestures to the dressing room that it's too tough to hit out, i.e. the ball is sticking in the surface.

Nicholas believes the bowlers have taken the bowling of slow cutters to another level in this tournament.

[K]

Neesham is deceived and pops the ball up. Rohit cannot get to it.

Nicholas: "Almost as though his feet were in cement."

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In the 39th over, the broadcast predictor says 245.

Doull is perturbed that a new pitch can be so dry and taking so much spin. He suggests the pitch may have been "over-prepared".


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NZ 3/155 (40).

cricinfo forecasts 230.