MUMBAI, India — Daryl Mitchell had just smashed the longest six of the tournament - a staggering 107 meters (351 feet). Kane Williamson had just been dropped at mid-on off a simple chance.
New Zealand was motoring along on 220-2, its two top batters were set in the middle, and that daunting target of 398 to beat India in the Cricket World Cup semifinals suddenly looked possible.
Then it all went wrong.
In the space of three balls in the same 33rd over, captain Williamson and vice captain Tom Latham fell to pacer Mohammed Shami and, from then on, the Black Caps were always unlikely to reach a third straight final in their bid for a first World Cup title.
A 70-run loss in Mumbai on Wednesday will go down as another near-miss for a bunch of likeable players who were desperate for redemption after that painful loss to England in the epic title match at Lord’s four years ago.
“Credit to the guys, it was a proud effort to stay in the fight,” said Williamson, who hit 69 and shared a third-wicket stand of 181 runs with Mitchell (134) that had the New Zealanders dreaming. “At the halfway stage of the innings, we gave ourselves some hope there and a bit of a chance.
“But it’s disappointing to go out in the knockout stage.”
And that’s a familiar ending for New Zealand, which has reached at least the semifinals in five of the last six 50-over World Cups and the last three World Cups in the Twenty20 format.
Still, though, it’s only “title” came via the inaugural world test championship in 2021, despite being better known as an ultra-competitive limited-overs force.
New Zealand’s bowling let the team down, with strike bowler Trent Boult going for 86 runs off his 10 overs and only taking one wicket, star spinner Mitchell Santner being wicketless, and Tim Southee conceding 100 runs.
Williamson, as gracious as ever, looked at the positives and was full of praise for an opponent that New Zealand beat in the World Cup semifinals in 2019 when defending 239.
“They’ve played outstandingly well throughout this competition and perhaps played their best game to date in this one,” Williamson said of India. “They are a top side at the top of their game. At the halfway stage with about 400 on the board, it was naturally going to be tough.
“India are a top-class side with clearly some world-class batters and they came out, played beautifully well and they didn’t give us a sniff really. They thoroughly deserve where they are.”
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