‘India thought we had not scored enough’: Lockie Ferguson on 2019 World Cup semifinal

Because of India's batting attack and the relatively low total put up by New Zealand, the understanding between both teams before the second day of the 2019 World Cup semi final was that India had the upper hand, says Lockie Ferguson.

Saying the 2019 World Cup semifinal against India was one of the ‘craziest’ games he has played, New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson said the understanding between both teams before the second day seemed to be that India had the upper hand.

New Zealand beat India by 18 runs in a low-scoring encounter in the ODI World Cup two years ago, in a match that was divided into two days because of persistent rain.

“It was one of the craziest games I’ve ever played — over two days,” said pacer Lockie Ferguson on an episode of Cricket Life Stories on Thursday.

“We got the feeling from India that they knew we hadn’t got enough, with their batting attack. At night, we were sleeping on our total of 240, and my girlfriend asked me if I was nervous. I told her we had nothing to lose,” he said.

READ | Dhoni, Jadeja heroics in vain, New Zealand win by 18 runs

“The next day, Trent Boult and Matt Henry bowled one of the best opening spells to knock the top off and put all the pressure back on India. It was a great game to win,” he added.

Only 46.1 overs of New Zealand’s first innings had been possible in the semifinal in Manchester, rain keeping the players off the field from afternoon onwards. New Zealand resumed their innings on the second day of the match from 211 for 5 to put up 239/8.

India suffered a top order collapse before being buoyed by a rearguard charge by MS Dhoni, in his last match for India, and Ravindra Jadeja, eventually being all out for 221.

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