Anything Can Happen With MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja At Crease: Trent Boult

New Zealand beat India by 18 runs in Manchester on Wednesday to enter a second successive World Cup final. They finished the 2015 World Cup as runners-up after losing to Australia in the summit clash at Melbourne. Even though India's early collapse in chase gave New Zealand a required confidence in a rain-affected semi-final at Edgbaston, fast bowler Trent Boult said the 116-run partnership between MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja remained a threat for his team for a long time.

"They absorbed the pressure nicely and anything can happen with Dhoni and Jadeja at the crease, so it's just nice to come out on the right side," Boult said.

Chasing a modest target of 240, India's top order was left reeling as Matt Henry and Boult reduced the world's number one side to 24 for four.

Jadeja (77) and Dhoni's (50) seventh-wicket partnership put India back in the game but ultimately it was Boult and Henry's new ball brilliance that proved decisive in the end.

The pacer, who claimed the wickets of India skipper Virat Kohli and dangerman Jadeja, said that he enjoyed being part of the "mayhem" his side created with the new ball.

"It was mayhem out there with the new ball, it was a dream start for us and great fun to be a part of.

"We knew our best balls are good enough for anyone, so it was nice to get the ball moving around and really put the pressure on them," said Boult.

New Zealand will take on either England or Australia in the final at Lord's on Sunday.

"We're just excited about playing in a World Cup final at Lord's - it doesn't get bigger than that and whoever we play, we'll just enjoy it.

"I think we are good enough to beat anyone. Every side is stacked with good players but we can wait to be out there on the big dance, this means everything to the side."

(With PTI inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team MS Dhoni Ravindra Jadeja Trent Boult World Cup 2019 Cricket India vs New Zealand, 1st Semi Final