World Cup 2019: We will consider selecting MS Dhoni for New Zealand, jokes Kane Williamson after semi-final win
What's the story?
After New Zealand successfully beat India in the 1st semi-final of ICC World Cup 2019, Kiwi captain Kane Williamson jokingly came up with a unique proposal for India’s veteran wicket-keeper batsman, MS Dhoni.
During the post-match interview, a journalist asked Williamson if he would pick Dhoni in his playing XI. The Kiwi skipper stated that he would consider including MS Dhoni in the New Zealand side if he is changing his nationalities.
In case you didn't know...
India’s World Cup campaign has ended as they could not overcome New Zealand in the semifinal. After winning the toss, New Zealand batted first which proved to be the turning point of the game as the Manchester track had favoured the side batting first. India restricted the New Zealand batting line-up to a below-par score.
However, rain pushed the game to the reserve day. India did not seem comfortable with the bat as they lost 3 early wickets at the score of just 5 runs. Though India got back on track with Dhoni and Jadeja building a huge partnership, the side lost the match by 18 runs. A lot of fans started billing this match as MS Dhoni’s last ever World Cup match.
The heart of the matter
MS Dhoni’s run out during the 49th over proved to be the game-changing moment for the Kiwis. When asked about including MS Dhoni in New Zealand’s playing XI during the post-match interview, Kane stated that:
“Is he looking to change nationalities? Because we will consider that selection if we have to!
Williamson added that Dhoni is a world-class player and his experience is very important for the bigger occasions. He felt that the wicket-keeper batsman’s contribution was extremely important for India. The Kiwi captain even said that Jadeja timed the ball better than anyone else. You can watch the video here.
What's next?
There has been speculation about MS Dhoni’s retirement for some time now. However, the man himself is yet to confirm anything and has kept the world guessing.
Also see – England vs New Zealand head to head stats
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