Virat Kohli admitted New Zealand were deserved winnings against India and said their dramatic 18-run defeat in the World Cup semi-final is “hard to take”.

India were left scrambling to chase down the 240 target New Zealand set them the day before when Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul were all dismissed for just one run each.

New Zealand posted a “chasable” - according to Kohli - score on Tuesday but rain delayed India’s innings at Old Trafford and play resumed on Wednesday morning.

The day could not have started much worse for India when Kiwi quicks Matt Henry and Trent Boult had the favourites to reach the final stuck on 5/3 in the fourth over.

India slumped to 92-6, but an eighth wicket partnership between MS Dhoni and Jadeja yielded 114 runs and shed some light on an unlikely run chase before new Zealand worked through the tailenders and advanced to the final.

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Show all 22 1 /22 Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Martin Guptill 6 Had his say in the field after another batting failure, a superb direct hit to dismiss Dhoni. Never looked like lasting the new ball burst of Bumrah and Kumar, just about surviving a tight LBW appeal first ball and gone soon after pushing at a good Bumrah ball and held well by Kohli at second slip. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Henry Nicholls 6 Gritted his teeth and found some security in defence to grind his way to 28 but never looked particularly likely to go much further on. Bowled through the gate, defeated by sharp turn from Jadeja, who troubled him throughout his spell. PA Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Kane Williamson 8 Again to the crease inside the first five overs, Williamson recorded another 50 although he was far from his fluent best, and fell trying to attack after a soporific, but vital, partnership with Taylor. Managed his bowlers well to defend an about par score, and took two very calm catches. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Ross Taylor 8 Not an innings that Taylor will look back on too fondly, but a vital score for his side under testing circumstances. He timed maybe one attacking shot, yet contextually this was a hugely important knock. PA Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Jimmy Neesham 6 Promoted to push the score on, but it didn’t come off on a pitch on which attacking looked difficult. A moment of magnificence at backward point to remove Karthik, and bowled well enough, though will be grateful to Guptill for killing the contest before the final over. Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Colin de Grandhomme 5 Another disappointing dismissal, trying to guide the ball to third man but cramped for room. A promising ten-ball 16, but New Zealand have needed more from him with the bat throughout the tournament. Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Tom Latham 5 Pushed down below those meatier of blow and thus never had much time to make an impact with the bat. AP Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Mitchell Santner 9 Magical spell with the ball, stymieing two expressive players and luring the big shot. Two key dismissals and remarkably economical until Jadeja thumped him twice. Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Matt Henry 9 Started wonderfully, getting the big fish Sharma with a lovely length ball at off-stump with just enough movement away to take the edge, and then Rahul in similar fashion, before Neesham snared him a third. Closed strongly, too, just five coming from his last over at the death. AP Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Trent Boult 8 Classic left-arm swing bowling to dismiss Kohli, two pushed across then the inswinger at the pads, India’s captain gone LBW. Got Jadeja as he threatened to single-handedly take India through as part of a fine spell-closing over. Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Lockie Ferguson 7 Helped tie India down through the middle with his pace tough to take risks against, and sealed it at the death. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Rohit Sharma 4 A failure for Rohit, reluctant to move his feet and thus defeated by a wobbly ball in the corridor from Henry. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final K.L. Rahul 4 Much like Rohit, a touch indecisive with his footwork and in his stroke and had his outside edge nibbled by Henry. He should really have left it. AP Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Virat Kohli 4 Beaten by the inswing of Boult looking to flick through the leg-side, planting his foot too early across his stumps and LBW despite a review. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Rishabh Pant 6 A fighting knock of 32 under testing circumstances, but lured into Mitchell Santner’s trap all too easily, heaving riskily across the line and picking out the fielder in the deep. Greater situational maturity was needed. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Dinesh Karthik 4 More than 20 balls to get off the mark after being thrown into the fire, and he lasted few more after doing so, courtesy of a stunning grab from Jimmy Neesham. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Hardik Pandya 6 Tidy enough with the ball despite a mid-spell hip scare, using his slower balls well. Promised much with the bat, building to 32 and looking like he would stick around with Dhoni but Pandya too was suckered in by Santner, top edging to midwicket. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Mahendra Singh Dhoni 6 A real struggle of a fifty from Dhoni, so reluctant to attack, and ultimately he left his charge much too late, putting too much pressure on Jadeja and then being defeated by a direct hit. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Ravindra Jadeja 10 One of the great all-round performances. He was the only batsman in either side to score freely for an extended period of time and took India to the brink of the most unlikely of victories. An excellent ten-over spell, turning one through the gate of Nicholls and then keeping Taylor and Williamson tied down. Simply magnificent in the field. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9 Set the tone from the very first ball, tough to get away early on and prying de Grandhomme later. Superb in grabbing two more at the death. AP Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Yuzvendra Chahal 6 A middling performance with the ball, figures ruined somewhat by an expensive final over, though Chahal did get the wicket of Williamson. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final Jasprit Bumrah 8 Superb with the new ball, superb at the death. Such accuracy and clarity in variation. AP

"It's tough - 45 minutes of bad cricket put you out of the tournament,” he said.

“It's hard to come to terms with but New Zealand deserve it - they put us under pressure and came through in the key moments.

"Our shot selection could've been better but otherwise we played a good brand of cricket and I'm proud of the way we played. Come the knockouts it is anyone's game and New Zealand showed more composure and were braver and they deserve to go through to the semi-finals."

The India captain believed his side had the upper hand coming into the forced second day, but said New Zealand’s bowlers were the difference between the sides.

"We got what we needed to get in the field morning and we thought we had restricted them to a total that is chaseable on any surface. But the way the bowled in that first half an hour was the difference in the game.

Virat Kohli says the defeat is hard to take (Getty)

"It was fine having to come back today. We had a good day yesterday and I'm very proud of that effort. Then it was a professional effort with the ball this morning and we had the momentum.

"But credit to the New Zealand bowlers - the way they bowled with the new ball, moving it around, it was an outstanding skill level on display and they made life very difficult for our batsmen."

India were close to producing one of the most memorable run chases in cricket history when Jadeja was ticking off the milestones alongside Dhoni on his way to scoring 77 off 59 balls.

"Jadeja had an outstanding game,” said Kohli. “The way he played today was a great sign for his skill set and what he can do for the team. He turned the game around in no time and had a good partnership with Dhoni, who got run out in the end. It's a game of margins.”

Kane Williamson was brilliant as captain in the field and was quick to praise his bowlers for an “outstanding” display.

Kane Williamson praised his bowlers (Getty)

New Zealand started the tournament well but tailed off towards the end and snuck through to the semi-finals due to having a higher run-rate than Pakistan. Now, they are planning to take on the winner of England vs Australia at Lord’s on Sunday.

“We've had to skin it over the round robin,” said Williamson. “A lot of heart has been shown by the guys so far but we're keeping our feet on the ground. It was a great semi-final and we're happy to be on the right side of it.