India Women’s cricket team started their three-match ODI series against New Zealand Women with an impressive 59-run victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The match, held in Ahmedabad, saw India posting a total of 227 on the board, with contributions from debutant Tejal Hasabnis and veteran Deepti Sharma. In response, New Zealand were bowled out for 168, thanks to crucial breakthroughs from Saima Thakor, who also made her debut, and Radha Yadav. This victory marked India’s second ODI win in their last eight encounters with New Zealand, setting a strong tone for the remainder of the series.
India’s Innings: Contributions from All but No Big Score
India won the toss and chose to bat first on a surface that appeared favorable for the batters. However, New Zealand’s spinners, particularly Amelia Kerr and Jess Kerr, ensured that India couldn’t fully capitalize on the conditions. Despite several Indian batters getting off to promising starts, none were able to convert those starts into a significant score, reflecting the theme of India’s innings—potential without follow-through.
Tejal Hasabnis, the debutant from Maharashtra, played a crucial role in anchoring the middle order. Walking in when India was in a difficult position, Hasabnis showed remarkable composure, crafting a steady 42 off 64 balls. Her partnership of 61 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues helped stabilize the innings. Hasabnis demonstrated her skill against spin, frequently using the depth of the crease to manipulate the field, especially against leg-spinner Amelia Kerr. Despite her efforts, Hasabnis was stumped while attempting to charge down the wicket to Kerr, which ended her solid debut knock.
Deepti Sharma, who contributed 41 runs, played a crucial role in adding vital runs towards the end of the innings. Deepti was aggressive in her approach, hitting a couple of boundaries and a six to ensure India crossed the 200-run mark. However, she too fell short of a fifty, continuing the trend of Indian batters failing to convert starts into big scores. In total, five Indian batters made scores of over 30, but none went beyond 42, leaving the team somewhat short of a par score on a surface that initially appeared good for batting.
Amelia Kerr was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, claiming an impressive 4 for 42. She was well-supported by her sister, Jess Kerr, who took 3 for 49. Together, the Kerr sisters, along with Eden Carson, accounted for seven of the ten Indian wickets, restricting India to what appeared to be a manageable total of 227 in 44.3 overs.
New Zealand’s Response: A Stuttering Chase
Chasing 227, New Zealand got off to a positive start, largely due to Georgia Plimmer’s aggressive strokeplay. Plimmer, opening the batting, took advantage of loose deliveries from Indian bowlers Renuka Singh and Saima Thakor. Thakor, in particular, struggled initially, bowling on the pads and allowing Plimmer to find boundaries at will. However, Thakor quickly adjusted, and in her very first over in international cricket, she made a crucial breakthrough by dismissing the experienced Suzie Bates. Thakor got the ball to nip away slightly, inducing an edge from Bates that was safely pouched by wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia.
Renuka Singh, trying to use angles from the crease, also struggled to maintain consistency early on, allowing Plimmer and No. 3 batter Lauren Down to score freely. However, Deepti Sharma, with her experience and tactical nous, soon halted New Zealand’s progress by dismissing Plimmer. Deepti slowed her delivery down, inviting Plimmer to play an aggressive shot, only for the batter to mistime it back to the bowler for a simple return catch. This wicket triggered a collapse for New Zealand, as their middle order failed to capitalize on the platform set by Plimmer.
Sophie Devine, the New Zealand captain, was run out in an unfortunate manner, as Deepti smartly reacted to a slight hesitation from Devine. A quick throw to the wicketkeeper found Devine short of her ground, further denting New Zealand’s hopes.
Radha Yadav’s left-arm spin proved to be effective as well. She dismissed Lauren Down, who had earlier survived a close call, by getting her to miscue a shot to mid-off. With New Zealand four wickets down and still needing over 150 runs, the Indian bowlers had firm control of the game.
New Zealand’s Middle-Order Resistance: Halliday and Green Fight Back
Despite the setbacks, Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green mounted a solid resistance for New Zealand. The pair added 49 runs for the fifth wicket, with both batters using the crease intelligently to manufacture scoring opportunities. Green’s ability to scoop and cut effectively, combined with Halliday’s sweeping shots, particularly a well-executed reverse sweep, kept the scoreboard ticking.
However, India’s debutant Saima Thakor returned for her second spell and broke the partnership. Thakor bowled a delivery that stopped on Halliday, leading to a caught-and-bowled dismissal. Thakor’s presence of mind in holding on to the catch demonstrated her confidence on debut. Just three balls later, Maddy Green was run out by a direct hit from Smriti Mandhana, effectively sealing New Zealand’s fate.
Amelia Kerr and Isabella Gaze tried to delay the inevitable with a 55-ball stand for the eighth wicket, but the target was always too far out of reach. Once Kerr was dismissed, New Zealand’s lower order folded quickly, and they were bowled out for 168 in 40.4 overs.
India’s Fielding and Bowling Shine
While India’s batting may have left a few runs on the field, their bowling and fielding were sharp. Saima Thakor’s impressive debut with the ball (2 for 26) and Radha Yadav’s tidy figures (3 for 35) were pivotal in keeping New Zealand in check. Deepti Sharma’s smart bowling (2 for 42) and her clever run-out of Sophie Devine added to India’s dominant bowling performance.
Smriti Mandhana, captaining in the absence of Harmanpreet Kaur, may not have had the perfect outing with the bat, but she marshaled her troops effectively in the field. Her direct hit to dismiss Maddy Green was a turning point in the match, demonstrating her sharp fielding skills and leadership.
Conclusion: A Strong Start for India
In the end, it was India’s ability to make fewer mistakes that proved to be the difference. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, India’s batters ensured that they had enough runs on the board for their bowlers to defend. New Zealand’s chase never quite gathered momentum, thanks to India’s disciplined bowling and fielding efforts.
As India took a 1-0 lead in the series, they will look to build on this performance in the remaining matches. New Zealand, on the other hand, will need to address their batting concerns, particularly their middle-order collapses, if they hope to bounce back in the series.
