2019 World Cup, 1st Semi-final: India exit WC following 18-run loss to New Zealand

India's famed top-order imploded on a day when it mattered most as a gritty New Zealand survived a swift counter attack from Ravindra Jadeja to win an exciting World Cup semi-final by 18 runs on Wednesday.

New Zealand made it to their second successive final, with credit going to their pacers' -- Matt Henry (3/37) and Trent Boult's (2/42) -- deadly opening spell and Lockie Ferguson's steely nerve in the penultimate over.

The script was eerily similar to the 2015 World Cup semi-final and just like that evening in Sydney, skipper Virat Kohli was once again out cheaply and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50) was stuck in the middle overs.

Call it irony, Dhoni, in what could be his last international innings, was run-out by a direct throw from Martin Guptill. This was after Dhoni and Jadeja raised visions of an improbable win after adding 116 runs for the seventh wicket, coming together at 92 for six.

Jadeja came in under overcast conditions when all looked lost and then wielded the willow like a sword, proving a point to critics like Sanjay Manjrekar in the most befitting manner. Call it a déjà vu but at a time when Jadeja was scripting a near impossible recovery, Kapil Dev was at the Neville Ground in Tunbridge Wells, where it all changed for Indian cricket one morning.

At 5 for 3, India have had their worst start of the tournament and it just got even worse when Jimmy Neesham's outstanding effort at backward point ended Dinesh Karthik's (6 off 25 balls) misery.