ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Ravindra Jadeja Creates A New CWC Record After Scoring A Half-Century In Semi-Final 

While all the major Indian top-order and middle-order batsmen failed in the crucial semi-final of the ongoing 2019 Cricket World Cup, Ravindra Jadeja came to rescue his team with the bat. During this semi-final against New Zealand, Jadeja hit an excellent half-century and created a new record. The left-handed batsman became the first batsman to score a half-century at the no.8 or lower position in the CWC knockout stages.

India met with New Zealand at Old Trafford (Manchester) in the rain-interrupted first semi-final of the ongoing 2019 CWC. Due to the rain-interruption, that match ran for two days (9th and 10th July). After deciding to bat first, New Zealand scored 239/8 (50 overs).

Chasing down that target, India had a very poor start as they were once batting on 24/4. Later, the middle-order batsmen tried hard, but struggling India went down to 92/6 when Jadeja came to bat at the no.8 position.

MS Dhoni and Jadeja provided an extraordinary partnership for the seventh wicket that helped India to return to the game. They had a 116-run partnership for the seventh wicket where Jadeja’s powerful batting was very attractive. The left-handed batsman Jadeja completed his 11th ODI half-century in just 39 balls.

However, Jadeja’s brilliant half-century failed to save his team in the end. He scored 77 runs off just 59 balls with four fours and four sixes. Dhoni also scored 50 runs off 72 balls (one four and one six). India were bundled out for 221 runs (49.3 overs), and they lost that semi-final by 18 runs.

Ravindra Jadeja broke Jason Holder’s record

Completing that brilliant half-century, Jadeja became the first batsman to score 50 runs at the no.8 or lower position in the CWC knockout stages. The previous record in this stage was 42 runs by the West Indies captain Jason Holder against New Zealand. In the fourth quarter-final of the 2015 CWC, Holder came to bat at the no.9 position and scored those runs.

Jadeja’s half-century wasn’t the first half-century at the no.8 or lower position in CWC history

However, Jadeja’s half-century was the 25th 50+ score at the no.8 or lower position in CWC history. Jadeja’s 77-run knock is the second highest individual score at the no.8 or lower position in CWC history. The record in this list is 92 runs by Nathan Coulter-Nile (Australia) against Windies at Nottingham in this 2019 CWC.