MS Dhoni’s run-out during the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Old Trafford was the turning point, with India potentially looking like getting really close to the target before the veteran wicket-keeper batsman was found short by a direct-hit onto the stumps from Martin Guptill.
It was the third delivery of the 49th over with Dhoni on strike and Bhuveshwar Kumar at the other end when the former gloved the ball towards short fine-leg. Having a tailender along with him at the other end, Dhoni wanted a strike and ran for the second run but was found short of his crease.
Guptill’s throw was perfect and Dhoni, who mostly has a superb judge of a run, was for once left short.
Millions of Indian fans’ hearts were broken after that run-out and clips showing Dhoni walking back after getting out were doing the rounds in which the Ranch-born seemingly burst into tears. It’s been one year since then, and Dhoni has not played for the Men in Blue.
Here’s the video:
📂 #CWC19
└📁 Semi-final
└📁 Game-changing moments
└📂 Terminator Guptill pic.twitter.com/9hzlrABIhB— ICC (@ICC) July 10, 2020
Earlier, India were 92-6 and looking down the barrel before all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja joined Dhoni and raised hopes of a counter. In the end, their partnership of 116 runs was the highest in the history of the World Cup for the seventh wicket.
But the start was a disaster for India as the in-form Rohit Sharma (1), captain Virat Kohli (1), opener KL Rahul (1) and Dinesh Karthik (6) were done in by some brilliant bowling of Matt Henry and Trent Boult.
With Dhoni at the crease, there was still a belief that India would be able to gun down the total and seal a ticket to the Lord’s final on July 14.
Jadeja (77 off 59 balls) used every ounce of his ‘bits and pieces’ skill but India could only get as far as 221 in 49.3 overs in pursuit of 240.
