Match Details
Ovaise: India have done well to restrict New Zealand to 251. Opting to bat, New Zealand team got off to a steady start despite losing Bates in the sixth over. Devine and Kerr stitched a fifty partnership for the second wicket at a brisk pace and were even attacking the spin duo of Gayakwad and Deepti Sharma. Sneh Rana was introduced, she bowled two tight overs and followed it by removing a well-set Devine.
The in-form Amelia Kerr, continued to chips away with runs notching up her fourth successive 50 plus score. Mithali Raj kept rotating her bowlers and the four spinners picked wickets at regular intervals. Some crucial contributions from the lower-order helped New Zealand cross 250. India had to bat really well to chase down this total and deny a whitewash?
India got off to a magnificent start with the bat despite losing Shifali Verma early, New Zealand bowlers missed their lines and gave away a lot of extras which helped the Indian team. Deepthi Shama plays some fantastic shots and helped Mandhana get India past the 50 mark.
In the 18th over Deepti Sharma was dismissed by Fran Jones, Harman walked in and stitched a good partnership with Mandhana who was looking solid at the other end, got past her 50. Smrithi hit the ball to all parts of the ground and New Zealand bowlers had no answers.
India were on 153 when they lost Smriti Mandhana who made a fantastic 71 on 84 deliveries. Harmanpreet Kaur and Skipper Mithali Raj steadied the ship and slowly started rotating the strike and getting the odd boundary. Harman’s magnificent innings of 63 came to end in the 43rd over, Rowe getting the breakthrough but it was very late by then India were close to the finishing line. Raj finished with an unbeaten 57 of 66 ball seeing India through to victory. It was a quite dominating performance by the Women in Blue today and they finally get their first victory off the tour.