India vs New Zealand: Dropped catches haunt Men in Blue in high-stakes clash | ICC Cricket World Cup

In the high-stakes clash between India and New Zealand at the World Cup, the Indian cricket team faced a fielding nightmare, a complete contrast to their previous four matches, where they had displayed brilliance on the field. It all began on a promising note when Shreyas Iyer took a breathtaking catch to send Devon Conway packing. However, what followed were three significant dropped catches that proved to be extremely costly.

India managed to dismiss both of New Zealand's openers with a mere 19 runs on the board, seemingly taking control of the match. But the consequences of missed opportunities that followed became increasingly evident as the game progressed. In the 11th over, the usually reliable Ravindra Jadeja missed a straightforward catch from Rachin Ravindra, granting the Kiwi batter a lifeline when he was only on 12. This blunder proved to be costly, as Ravindra went on to amass an impressive 75 runs.

The tale of missed opportunities didn't end there. The centurion, Daryl Mitchell, was given two lifelines when India failed to secure straightforward catches. The first chance, while challenging, eluded the grasp of KL Rahul. The second opportunity, however, was a simple catch at long-off, which Jasprit Bumrah inexplicably dropped.

These three dropped catches ultimately proved expensive as Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell joined forces to form a record-breaking partnership of 159 runs for the third wicket. This collaboration marked the highest-ever partnership in the history of India vs New Zealand contests at the World Cup.

Also read: Shreyas Iyer takes brilliant catch to dismiss Conway, asks for 'best fielder' medal