Cairns storm to Guptill's bullseye: Five instances when India faced NZ curse

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

India vs New Zealand clashes have always been filled with excitement and tension. Over the years, these matches have provided fans with nail-biting moments and unforgettable encounters. As we gear up for another high tension semi final clash between the two teams, let's take a look at some of the most thrilling India-New Zealand ODIs in the last four decades.

1985 Benson and Hedges Cup Semifinal at Sydney's SCG: India emerged victorious by 7 wickets.

Despite the final scoreline suggesting an easy win for India, the match was far from it. Chasing a target of 207, India found themselves in a tight spot at 102/3. The asking-rate had soared above 6, a considerable challenge back then.

Captain Sunil Gavaskar's decision to promote Kapil Dev proved to be a game-changer. Kapil's unbeaten 54 off 37 balls, along with Dilip Vengsarkar's unbeaten 63, steered India to victory and secured their place in the final.

1990 Rothman's Cup tri-series in Wellington: India clinched a thrilling 1-run win. With India in a must-win situation, captain Mohammad Azharuddin led from the front.

Contributions from Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar helped India set a target of 221. New Zealand seemed to be cruising towards victory until Manoj Prabhakar's brilliant 49th over brought India back into the game. With Richard Hadlee at the crease, New Zealand needed 10 runs off six balls.

However, Kapil Dev's superb last over dismissed Hadlee off the final delivery, securing a memorable 1-run win for India.

2000 ICC Champions Trophy final in Nairobi: New Zealand emerged victorious by 4 wickets. India, under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, were the favorites going into the match. Ganguly's century had propelled India to a competitive total of 264/6.