Cricket World Cup 2019: Blackcaps fate on hold after rain suspends game against India

The Blackcaps Cricket World Cup fate is on hold for another day.

Their semi-final clash against India has been suspended until Wednesday night (NZT) due to persistent rain in Manchester.

New Zealand will resume 211/5 with 23 balls remaining in their innings, after Kane Williamson won the toss and batted first on what looked to be a belter of an Old Trafford wicket.

The Blackcaps made one change to the side that faltered horribly against England last week, with quick Lockie Ferguson replacing Tim Southee.

It was an all-too familiar start to the New Zealand innings with Martin Guptill falling in the fourth over, caught at slip by Virat Kohli from the bowling of Jusprit Bumrah for 1.

The wicket came after the Indians started superbly, with just a Guptill single coming from the first 19 balls.

Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls set about yet another early Blackcaps rebuild, but some very good Indian bowling restricted the Blackcaps to 27 runs in the first 10 overs.

The pair were just starting to up the run rate when Nicholls was bowled by Ravi Jadeja for 28 in the 19th over with New Zealand only 69.

The arrival of Ross Taylor signalled a virtual handbrake to the Blackcaps run rate, with both he and Williamson struggling with a wicket that appeared to be tough to play shots on.

New Zealand's two marquee batsman at one stage scored 10 runs in 26 balls, as the Indians applied the noose to the Blackcaps innings.

Williamson brought up fifty from 73 balls, but the partnership was broken by wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, when Williamson tried to force through the offside, but could only guide the ball to Jadeja in the gully. The New Zealand skipper departed for 67 with 15 overs remaining.

Taylor upped his run rate on the arrival of Jimmy Neesham, promoted to number five as the Blackcaps looked for quick runs, but the all-rounder's stay was short, caught off the bowling of Hardik Pandya for 12.

Colin de Grandhomme came and went for a breezy 16 from 10 balls, hanging around long enough to see Taylor bring up his 50th ODI half century.

Taylor smashed 18 runs off Chahal's final over before the rain set in with the Blackcaps on the charge in the 47th over.

The rain refused to budge, leaving the umpires with no choice but to call play off for the day, meaning the game will continue, in its full form on Wednesday. 

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