2019 World Cup 1st Semi-final: Hardik Pandya suffers groin injury while bowling

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India walked into the semi-final against New Zealand with five bowlers and things are not looking great for the Men In Blue as Hardik Pandya suffered a groin injury.

Hardik's bowling allowed India to take leeway and play with one bowler less and go with the extra batsman in Dinesh Karthik but with the medium pacer walking off the field, it could be up to Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni to bowl the rest of the six overs if he doesn't return. 

Pandya stopped while bowling the 15th over and held his groin but somehow managed to complete the remaining two deliveries of the over before walking off in the next over. He gingerly climbed up the stairs following team physio Patrick Farhat. 

Mayank Agarwal replaced him in the field.

However, he returned to the field during the 21st over but remains to be seen if he bowls.

Earlier, Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bat first and India's decision to leave out Mohammed Shami from the playing XI. 

The Indian team management was on Tuesday criticised on social media after they did not include right-arm pacer Shami in the XI in Manchester.

Shami, who has picked up 14 wickets in the four matches that he has played so far, was not included in the playing XI. Instead, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was included in the side in place of Kuldeep Yadav. Shami also did not play in India's last league game against Sri Lanka on July 6.

"Okay with Chahal over Kuldeep. Not so much for Shami's exclusion. Only five bowlers is a possible concern but from that perspective, bowling first isn't that bad a thing. India bats deep with this combination," said cricketer-turned-commentator Akash Chopra after former India skipper Sourav Ganguly questioned Kohli's move.