India’s Cricket World Cup semi-final clash with New Zealand will head into a second day after rain forced play to be abandoned without a result at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The players left the field with New Zealand on 211/5 off 46.1 overs, and India yet to bat, as the heavens opened around 2pm BST.
The teams were unable to return as persistent rain fell throughout the afternoon in Manchester.
Play will resume at 10:30am BST on Wednesday.
The situation bore echoes of the two sides’ scheduled group stage meeting at Trent Bridge last month, which was washed out without a ball being bowled.
However, unlike during the group stage, semi-final and final clashes at this summer’s tournament have designated reserve days, meaning the teams will return tomorrow in the hope of producing a result.
India had looked in control having lost the toss and been asked to field, with Jasprit Bumrah removing out-of-form New Zealand opener Martin Guptill for 1, his fifth single-figure score of the tournament.
Captain Kane Williamson (67) led the recovery alongside Ross Taylor (67*), after Henry Nicholls was bowled cheaply, but all-rounders Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme both came and went without making significant contributions.
A slow scoring rate left New Zealand scrambling to set a target in excess of 250, with Taylor at the crease alongside wicketkeeper Tom Latham (3*), when the rain came.
There was a moment of excitement for the thousands of fans who stayed throughout the day as the covers were taken off and a pitch inspection called for 6:10pm, reigniting hope that India might be set a revised 20-over target to chase into the evening.
However, the let-up proved all too brief, and play was finally abandoned shortly afterwards.
The objective for Wednesday will be to pick up where Tuesday’s game left off, and complete a full 50-over-per-side match, but with further rain forecast, the possibility of a reduced-overs game remains.
Should there be no result at the end of play on Wednesday, India will advance to the final on the strength of their superior group stage record.
