NZ adds 28 runs in overnight total, India to score 240 runs to enter World Cup Final
Manchester: India need to overhaul a modest 240-run target to earn a shot at their third ODI World Cup title as New Zealand could add only 28 runs to their overnight total in the rain-hit semi-final, here Wednesday.
Resuming at 211 for 5, the Black Caps managed just one boundary in the remaining 23 balls.
The highlight of the brief New Zealand innings on the reserve day was Ravindra Jadeja's direct throw from the deep mid-wicket to end back Ross Taylor (74, 90 balls), who ran for a double.
Tom Latham then provided Jadeja with a simplest of catch to give Bhuvneshwar his second wicket of the match. He ended with 3 for 43 when Matt Henry offered a simple skier to skipper Virat Kohli.
The best part about the 20-odd minute session was the intensity with which Jasprit Bumrah (1/39) and Bhuvneshwar bowled. Bumrah bowled fast and pitched it back of the length while the UP seamer bowled a much fuller length.
They were backed by Jadeja and also KL Rahul, who showed tremendous commitment with a diving stop that saved three runs off the penultimate delivery of the New Zealand innings.
While the last 10 overs yielded 84 runs, which was by far their most productive of all the 10-over sets, what will come back to haunt them was lack of intent during the middle overs.
Save Yuzvendra Chahal (1/63), they could not dominate any of the other four Indian bowlers. The total dot ball count was an astounding 158 which is more than half their quota of overs.
A forecast of clear weather till mid-afternoon, the chase is expected to be a cakewalk for the formidable Indian top-order which has rarely failed in the seven-week tournament.
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KKR land Green for record-breaking Rs 25.20 crore; Shaw, Sarfaraz go unsold
Abu Dhabi (PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders splurged a record-breaking Rs 25.20 to land top Australian all-rounder Cameron Green even as Indian stars Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold in the Indian Premier League players' auction here on Tuesday.
Green surpassed compatriot Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore) to become the most expensive overseas player at an IPL auction. This was after Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings were involved in an intense bidding war for him before the latter emerged winner.
KKR also went after Venkatesh Iyer before pulling out of the race against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who fetched the services of the India all-rounder for Rs 7 crore.
As far as Green is concerned, his salary for the season would still be Rs 18 crore (USD 1.9 million) as the rest of the amount will go towards the BCCI's player development programme as per the rules of the auction for foreign players.
Green, who previously turned up for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has so far played 29 matches in the IPL to aggregate 707 runs and take 16 wickets.
Shaw, however, went unsold despite his fine run of form in the domestic circuit lately, and so was the case with Sarfaraz, who smashed a 22-ball 73 in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match for Mumbai on Tuesday.
Big-hitting South African batter David Miller was bought by Delhi Capitals for his base price of Rs 2 crore, but New Zealand swashbuckler Devon Conway, whose base price was also Rs 2 crore, went unsold in the auction.
Seasoned South African opener Quinton de Kock returned to his old base Mumbai Indians for a base price of Rs 1 crore.
A total of 359 players -- 246 Indians and 113 overseas players -- are part of the mini auction pool with the 10 franchises bidding to fill up a maximum of 77 slots, including 31 reserved for foreign players.
