Cricket World Cup Semi-Final Between India, New Zealand Suspended Due to Rain

Tuesday's Cricket World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand was suspended for the day after persistent rains in Manchester, England, halted proceedings. The Black Caps had batted to a score of 211 for five after 46.1 overs when play was first suspended.

The match is scheduled to resume on Wednesday, although weather forecasts from the BBC indicate more rain could be on the way around Old Trafford.

If play cannot be completed on Wednesday, the Men in Blue will advance to the final due to their higher finishing position in group play, per ESPNcricinfo:

The decision to suspend play would appear to favour India, who had limited the New Zealand attack to a run rate of 4.97. The match will resume in full on Wednesday, rather than be completed in limited overs.

For a 20-over match, the target would have been 148, and New Zealand's seam-friendly bowling attack would have given them a better chance against the world's No. 2 ODI side in the shorter format. Instead, India will have a full night to plan Wednesday's chase.

Ross Taylor (67 from 85) and Tom Latham (3 from 4) will pair up to start the final overs for New Zealand on Wednesday. Star bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are likely to bowl the final overs, having dominated the Black Caps so far. Both had an economy rate well under 4.00 when play was halted.

As a group, India's bowlers were fantastic on Tuesday:

During their innings, the Men in Blue will have the tournament's top run-scorer among their ranks, as Rohit Sharma (647 runs) has been in excellent form. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, MS Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan are others to keep an eye on with the bat.

New Zealand's bowlers will like their chances as well, however, especially in sub-optimal conditions. Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson are expert wicket-takers, and both have been in strong form during the World Cup.