New Delhi:
Come Tuesday, New Zealand will meet South Africa in the first semi-finals of World Cup 2015 at Auckland. It’s the seventh time Black Caps enter the semi-finals of the mega event but have failed to go beyond the stage. This time the Kiwis will try to break the jinx and enter the finals of the mega event.
Let’s have a look on the previous semi-finals New Zealand played:
1975 World Cup- Lost to might West Indies by 5 wickets at The Oval, London. Batting first, Kiwis were dismissed for paltry 158 and West Indies achieved it easily to enter the finals and win the first trophy.
1979 World Cup- For the second consecutive time New Zealand enter the semi-finals but lost to England by 9 runs. Chasing a modest total of 222 to enter finals, the Kiwis fell short of nine runs.
1992 World Cup- It was heartbreak for New Zealand when they lost to Pakistan by 4 wickets at Auckland. Imran Khan-led Pakistan side chased down daunting 262 runs to enter the World Cup finals.
1999 World Cup- The Black Caps lots to Pakistan again in the semi-finals at Old Trafford. Pakistani great Saeed Anwar scored an unbeaten century to help Pakistan beat Kiwis to enter World Cup finals for the second time.
2007 World Cup- The jinx of semi-finals continued for Kiwis again in 2007, when they lost to Sri Lanka by 81 runs at Sabina Park, Kingston. The Black Caps were unable to chase daunting 298 runs in the semi-finals.
2011 World Cup- The Black Caps again lost to Sri Lanka by 5 wickets at Premadasa stadium, Colombo second time in a row. New Zealand were bundled out for 217 runs on a spinning track and Sri Lanka achieved it with ease.
