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India vs New Zealand WTC Final Day 1 Live Cricket Score Updates: Stumps, Day 2! Rain and poor light has led to abandonment of play on second day. Only 66.4 overs is what we got today. Day 1 report: The inaugural World Test Championship final suffered a setback at the outset after persistent rain meant there was no play at all between India and New Zealand on Friday’s opening day at Southampton. The toss should have taken place at 10:00 am local time (0900 GMT), with the match getting underway 30 minutes later, but heavy overnight and early morning rain meant the pitch and square at the Hampshire Bowl remained fully covered. Several more downpours hit the ground and it was no surprise when the umpires abandoned play for the day at 2:48 pm (1348 GMT). While a standard Test lasts a maximum of five days, this fixture can be extended into a sixth day should match referee Chris Broad decide that it is the only way to make-up time lost in the game to bad weather. But former England batsman Broad won’t be called on to make such a decision until the fifth day as the match could be over before then in any event. This fixture, worth $1.6 million to the winners and $800,000 to the runners-up, represents the culmination of a two-year programme of series to crown a champion team in men’s Test cricket, with India and New Zealand topping the qualifying table. India captain Virat Kohli, however, questioned whether a one-off game could decide the world’s best Test side by saying Thursday: “If you’re talking about Test cricket and deciding who is the best team in the world on one game over a period of five days, that is not the reality of the truth.” The star batsman added: “For me, this is another Test match that has to be played.” India named their team on Thursday, with the pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami as well as spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja all included in the same Test XI for the first time. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, recovered from an elbow injury that saw him miss the Blackcaps’ series-clinching win over England at Edgbaston last week, said he would delay announcing his side until the toss. India too could yet change their side, as teams don’t have to be confirmed until the toss takes place. With inputs from AFP
Highlights, India vs New Zealand, WTC Final Day 2 at Southampton, Full Cricket Score: Play called off, India head to stumps on 146/3
India vs New Zealand WTC Final Day 2 Live Cricket Score Updates: Stumps, Day 2! Rain and poor light has led to abandonment of play on second day. Only 66.4 overs is what we got today.
 "Highlights, India vs New Zealand, WTC Final Day 2 at Southampton, Full Cricket Score: Play called off, India head to stumps on 146/3")
And that’s that from Day 2 coverage as well.
We managed to see 64 overs or so today before the dark clouds came back to suspend the play every now and then. At the end of the day, it was not possible to further play before the cut off time due to poor light. As fans, we might feel bad, but the sport itself is helpless against nature and bad light brings lot of risks with itself for cricketers. It is always advisable to be waiting for conditions to improve than risk one’s body for the purpose of a result or entertainment.
Tomorrow we will back and weather permitting, we will have a full day of gritty cricket on display. India are on 146/3 with both Virat and Ajinkya in the middle.
Till then, stay healthy and take care. Good bye.
Stumps, Day 2!
Rain and poor light has led to abandonment of play on second day. Only 64.4 overs is what we got today.
Bad light plays spoilsport and that's stumps in Southampton!
— ICC (@ICC) June 19, 2021
India finish day two on 146/3 with Virat Kohli on 44* and Ajinkya Rahane keeping him company on 29*.#WTC21 Final | #INDvNZ | https://t.co/4vtSUyliQF pic.twitter.com/Xq9vD448Zk
India women showing a lot of fight in Bristol. Bhatia and Rana playing knocks of their lives to help India save the game.
Not a very happy sight for fans and players alike
And now the covers return with the players off for bad light. #WTC21 pic.twitter.com/SRGt8vkr2q
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) June 19, 2021
Kumar Sangakkara with a masterclas on how to bat in England
He says, on air, batsmen need to play with the swing of the ball, on most occasions, playing square of the wicket. Explaining his point with example of how Rohit Sharma batted and got out today, he said Rohit was playing well with the swing till he played the one with a bat pointing towards the mid off region, eventually edging it behind the stumps.
After 64 overs,India 143/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 42 , Ajinkya Rahane 28)
Southee continues. Two off the third ball. He is getting big movement in air. Southee tried to bring one in to Kohli, but lost the line, going down leg. He has struggled with this delivery throughout today.
After 63 overs,India 141/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 28)
Trent Boult comes back on. Sunil Gavaskar, on air, analysing Kohli’s technique in this innings, saying he is playing very close to the ball unlike Rohit and Shubman who were not doing the same and played away from body, eventually edging it behind the stumps. Wagner meanwhile asked the umpires to check the shape of the ball. The ball is in shape, no worries whatsoever. Just one off it.
After 62 overs,India 140/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 28)
Southee continues. Starts off with a dot. The second ball takes the inside edge and runs behind square on the leg side, Rahane takes a double. A solid defence to finish the over by Indian vice-captain. Two off it.
After 61 overs,India 138/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 26)
Jamieson continues. This is very good bowling from the tall guy. Keeping it up and asking Kohli questions with the line. Last ball a lot fuller, Kohli flicked it to man at square leg. Did not look in complete control playing that shot.
After 60 overs,India 138/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 26)
Southee continues. He is in middle of a good spell after starting off listlessly. He is much closer to the wickets than earlier and also closer to getting his first wicket. One bad ball, short to Rahane and he was punished. That took the partnership for the third wicket to 50. Kohli and Rahane at it again. Four off the over.
After 59 overs,India 134/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 22)
Jamieson completes his over. Five dots on the trot. Last ball angling in to Kohli, hit his front pads, followed by huge appeal but umpire Illingworth unmoved. Kohli thought of stealing a single, Rahane sent him back. A maiden.
Every Test cricket fan right now:
C’mon rain/bad light vamoose! What a shame you are messing up such a wonderful contest
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 19, 2021
After 58 overs,India 134/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 22)
Southee continues. Kohli pushing at the deliveries now, and gets beaten twice on the first two balls. Sunil Gavaskar, on air, points out that he was not doing this before Tea. Something has changed in his head and it needs correction. Cracker of an over from Southee. He beat Rahane with two beautiful away drifters. Rahane has the last laugh though, finishes the over with a boundary.
After 57 overs,India 129/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 39 , Ajinkya Rahane 18)
Wagner from the other end. The second ball takes the outside edge of Kohli’s bat and falls short of the second slip. There was less pace on the ball. Kohli checks his shot on the third ball to hit it to mid off for a single, he was looking to flick it but changed his mind. Rahane hesitatingly pulled and it landed in non man’s land. Easy three on the penultimate ball of the over. Rahane finishes the over with a good-looking boundary. Nine off it.
After 56 overs,India 120/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 35 , Ajinkya Rahane 13)
Southee completes his over, the 56th of the innings. These long breaks usually lead to fall of wickets, partnerships being broken. Kohli and Rahane need to be cautious here. Huge appeal on the fifth ball of the over as the ball passed Rahane down the leg stump line, umpire Gough unmoved. Seemed it brushed the thigh pad on its way to the keeper. A maiden.
In Bristol, India women are fighting it out in the middle. Following on, they lead by 57 runs with three wickets in hand.
Click here to catch our LIVE Blog that includes the over-by-over updates and live score.
Official confirmation as we play the waiting game.
UPDATE - Start of play in the final session has been delayed due to bad light.#WTC21 pic.twitter.com/PQH2dHiHq8
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 19, 2021
The news from Southampton is that the third session has been delayed due to poor light. The dark cloud cover persists making it difficult for batsmen to spot the red ball. The covers are out as it may rain at any moment.
Watch this space for more updates.
After 55.3 overs,India 120/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 35 , Ajinkya Rahane 13)
Early tea taken on the second day of the final, the umpires arriving at the decision after a quick meeting on the field three deliveries into the 56th over. Bad light, and not rain, the culprit this time with the overcast conditions making it challenging for the batsmen to pick the cherry. Boos ring around the Ageas Bowl, but the umpires also have to think about player welfare, and not just the fans’ desires.
A session in which India lost only one wicket, that of Cheteshwar Pujara, but was undoubtedly dominated by the New Zealand pacers. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, has been solid as a rock so far, unbeaten on 35. A lot will depend on him if India are to post a sizeable first innings total.
After 55 overs,India 120/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 35 , Ajinkya Rahane 13)
Wagner replaces CdG. We witness a first in the Pretoria-born pacer’s ninth over — a no ball for overstepping in the third delivery. Wagner sends the next one full and wide, and Rahane’s edge nearly carries the ball to gully. Single to Rahane off the penultimate delivery followed by a steep bouncer to Kohli for a dot.
After 54 overs,India 118/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 35 , Ajinkya Rahane 12)
Some good running between the wickets between the captain and his deputy as Kohli collects a brace off each of the first two balls of this over. Follows it up with another double off the last delivery as he plays with soft hands, guiding the ball towards third man. The ball, however, is still moving prodigiously in the air at the moment and the danger is far from over for Kohli and Rahane.
After 53 overs,India 112/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 29 , Ajinkya Rahane 12)
Five off de Grandhomme’s 11th over, including a boundary to Rahane off the fourth delivery off a well-timed cut through point that helps him bring up double figures.
After 52 overs,India 107/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 28 , Ajinkya Rahane 8)
Kohli faces his arch-nemesis Southee — an individual who has dismissed him 10 times in international cricket — in this over, breaking the monotony with a single towards midwicket off the last ball.
After 51 overs,India 106/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 27 , Ajinkya Rahane 8)
Change from both ends — CdG replacing Boult from the Hotel End. Walks away with a sixth maiden in 10 overs as Rahane, attempting to play with soft hands on a couple of occasions hoping to guide the ball behind square, goes through the six deliveries without scoring.
After 50 overs,India 106/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 27 , Ajinkya Rahane 8)
Tim Southee, who had left the field for some time and was substituted by Will Young, back into the attack, replacing Jamieson from the Pavilion End. Loud appeal for LBW against Kohli off the last ball, but the inside-edge was clearly visible to the naked eye.
After 49 overs,India 106/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 27 , Ajinkya Rahane 8)
Couple of beautiful strokes in Boult’s 11th over — Kohli collecting three after guiding the ball through the point region for three runs off the first ball, followed by cover drive by Rahane three balls later for a brace. Five off the over.
After 48 overs,India 101/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 24 , Ajinkya Rahane 6)
Jamieson’s streak of maidens comes to an end as Kohli dashes off for a quick run after working the ball in front of cover off the second delivery of the over — the only run he concedes in his 12th.
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