ICC CWC 2019 Match 18: Ind vs NZ match called off; both teams split point

In the 18th match of ICC World Cup 2019, inclement weather and wet outfield resulted in the match between India cricket team and New Zealand cricket team being called off at Trent Bridge

1:56 PM

No rain at the moment in Nottingham

1:50 PM

WATCH: Hardik Pandya on World Cup preparation

1:42 PM

India record in world cup matches at Trent Bridge

Matches: 2

 

Lost: 2

 

Won: 0

1:36 PM

India's record in ODIs at Trent Bridge

Matches played: 6

 

Won: 3

 

Lost: 3

 

1:30 PM

Ross Taylor in the middle order is a key for New Zealand success

Ross Taylor

Taylor is the seventh Kiwi cricketer to play in his fourth and last World Cup. New Zealand depend mostly on Taylor if their top-order fails to give a good kick-start. The 35-year-old hit 54, 90 and 137 against Sri Lanka early this year. During India tour of New Zealand, Taylor smashed 93 in the third match. The right-hander scored 71 against India in a World Cup warm-up match. Taylor played a knock of 82 runs against Bangladesh in a World Cup match.

New Zealand's Ross Taylor celebrates his 50 runs during the third one day international between India and New Zealand at Bay Oval in Tauranga, New Zealand. File Photo: AP/PTI

1:21 PM

It was raining at Trent Bridge today morning

1:20 PM

WATCH: Sanjay Bangar on Rishabh Pant inclusion

1:17 PM

MS Dhoni will be key for India's success lower down the order

MS Dhoni

The wicket-keeper batsman Dhoni led India to its second World Cup title in 2011. The former captain has been a guiding force of the team and helped Virat Kohli during the crucial overs. In a World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh, Dhoni smashed 113 runs off just 78 balls, which saw four boundaries and seven sixes. This knock silenced the critics who had been criticising Dhoni's performance lately. Amid the gloves controversy against South Africa, Dhoni scored much needed 34 runs to beat South Africa. In the second match against Australia, Dhoni's cameo of 14-ball 27 saw three boundaries and one six.

 

1:12 PM

Key batsman for New Zealand

Martin Guptill

Guptill was the architect behind New Zealand's best-ever World Cup campaign in 2015, guiding the team to its maiden tournament final which they eventually lost to Australia by seven wickets. The New Zealand opener topped the tournament charts with 547 runs and scored unbeaten 237, the highest individual score at the World Cup, in the quarter-finals against West Indies. He registered three centuries, 138 against Sri Lanka, and 117 not out and 118 against Bangladesh earlier this year. The right-hander contributed an unbeaten 73 against Sri Lanka in New Zealand's first World Cup 2019 match.

Martin Guptill. Photo: @ICC

1:04 PM

ICC CWC 2019: New Zealand are dark horse in 50-over cricket

New Zealand, known as BlackCaps, are considered dark horse along with the West Indies in the 50-over tournament. Australian legends like Mark Waugh and Brett Lee picked up the Kiwis, the 2015 World Cup runners-up, as the fourth team to enter the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup.

1:01 PM

Kapil Dev on quality in ICC cricket World Cup 2019

Commenting on the quality of cricket in the World Cup so far, Kapil said: "My concern is that pitches have become very flat in England. If you keep a little bit of grass scoring even 250 would be tough. I understand the need of the hour is sixes and fours but I want the pitches to be 60 percent in batsmen's favour and 40 for bowlers. At the moment, the ratio is more like 80-20 in favour of the batsmen.

Kapil Dev (Photo: @therealkapildev)

12:54 PM

Ferguson on India batting line-up

So far, Ferguson has been brilliant in the premier tournament as he has the most number of wickets, 8, in the tournament. But Ferguson was in all praise for the 'world-class' Indian players and is looking forward to playing against them in England.

"They're world-class players. You're not going to blow them out of the water, but if you can build up enough pressure against them and then create a half-chance, that could be the wicket and you can then build from there," he said.

"Obviously, they're playing some great cricket and they're one of the top teams in the competition but we're definitely looking forward to the opportunity of playing them in England and we haven't played them for a while in England," he added.

12:54 PM

Hardik Pandya record in ODIs

Pandya averages 30.53 in 47 ODIs with the bat and he also has a Test hundred. His bowling average of 41.97 in ODIs is on the higher side with 44 wickets to his name while he has taken 17 wickets in 11 Tests at 31.05.

12:53 PM

Pandya more of batting all-rounder for now, also needs to perform with ball: Kapil

Kapil Dev wants Hardik Pandya to be better than him but Wednesday said the flamboyant cricketer needs to improve his bowling to become a complete all-rounder like the legend was in his heydays.

Pandya has grown rapidly as an international cricketer since making his India debut in January 2016. He has played many memorable knocks with the bat but his bowling figures pale in comparison.

"Lets not compare, let him play. We have already seen his rich talent and I want him to be better than me. He is an all-rounder, he has to perform in both the departments. Yes he is a batting all-rounder I can feel that, so I hope he can improve in his bowling. He is a great team man and that is more important," Kapil said in his response to a PTI query.

12:23 PM

Taking wickets up front is key to beating India: Ferguson

New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson has chalked out a strategy to beat India in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, saying that they need to get early wickets or bowl some dot balls to create pressure and overpower their opponent.

"They showed us that they're probably a lot more patient in a way. And although we're looking to take wickets, sometimes we got a little bit expensive. I think taking wickets up front is the key to [beating] India but, if not, creating pressure and building dots," ICC quoted Ferguson, as saying.