New Zealand are turning out to be a painful thorn in India’s flesh at the ICC events.

Virat Kohli’s team fell to New Zealand in the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-finals, lost the World Test Championship final to the same opponents earlier this year and now, in the T20 World Cup, it is again the Black Caps who have pipped India in the race to the semi-finals.

Many, including former players, took to social media to express their disappointment at India’s ouster. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh tweeted: “Well done @BLACKCAPS for getting into semis.. you guys deserve it. How good is Kane Williamson wah.. love this man and his NZ team.. I know india isn’t going forward no worries we will get better and come back stronger.”

Another former India bowler, pacer Munaf Patel, wrote: “Hard to accept but its bitter truth that we are out of #T20WorldCup for known reason. Yes we were not at par in first 2 games and that resulted out of World cup. We will learn from our mistakes and bounce back for sure.”

Munaf’s teammate during his playing days, RP Singh tweeted: “After a decade India failed to make it to semis in an ICC tournament. But, what hurts more is another great opportunity lost.”

Irfan Pathan, the former pacer, kept it short but his tweet perhaps carried the most important message. “Next time with better planning!” Irfan tweeted.

Report card

The last time India failed to make it to the last-four of an ICC event was in the 2012 World T20. Since then, here’s how they fared in ICC events before the ongoing T20 World Cup

⚫ World Test Championship: 2021 — Runners-up

⚫ ODI World Cup: 2015 — Semis; 2019 — Semis

⚫ Champions Trophy: 2013 — Winners; 2017 — Runners-up

⚫ T20 World Cup: 2014 — Runners-up; 2016 — Semis

Mohandas Menon