The White Ferns have scored a comprehensive 58-run win over India at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai.
Sophie Devine steered New Zealand both as skipper and with the bat, making 57 not out to help the White Ferns set India an imperious 161 to win.
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In reply, India struggled to keep pace, too often picking the wrong shots to gift New Zealand wickets and their first win in 11 T20 internationals.
Having chosen to bat, New Zealand made sure that a relative gamble paid off as Suzie Bates set the tone.
She began the innings with a four and she and Georgia Plimmer motored to 55 without loss in the powerplay.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur used breaks in the game as a chance to re-set, and her team were full of effort but not always able to take advantage of the chances they created, Richa Ghosh putting down a high ball from Bates, having mis-judged the flight.
The White Ferns kept scoring quickly until Bates departed for 27 from 24 balls and Plimmer (34) followed three balls later to leave New Zealand at 67 for two and with two new batters at the crease.
However, those batters were the experienced pair of Amelia Kerr and Devine. Kerr’s time at the crease was an eventful one, as she was seemingly run out chasing a single before being handed a reprieve when the decision was overturned after the ball was called dead.
The all-rounder scored 13 before her powerful shot was caught well by Pooja Vastrakar, with New Zealand having moved to 109.
From there, the scoring picked up again, with Devine leading the charge while ably supported by Brooke Halliday and then Maddy Green.
New Zealand took 37 runs off the final three overs to reach 160 for four at the innings break and present India the chance to complete the second highest successful chase of a Women’s T20 World Cup.
In response, India made 11 off the first over before Shafali Verma departed for two with Smriti Mandhana and Kaur also falling in the powerplay, as off-spinner Eden Carson claimed two wickets.
Rodrigues had been electric in the field for India but, faced with an uphill battle of a rising run rate, she hit the ball straight to Maddy Green at mid-on while trying to force it through a gap in the field.
Halliday then dropped Sharma on zero but New Zealand did not have to wait long for a fifth and sixth wicket.
First Ghosh and then Arundhati Reddy sent easy catches to fielders as India fell to 75 for six in the 13th over.
It was a similar story for Sharma, who added 13 runs to the total before Devine took a simple catch at mid-off to hand Lea Tahuhu her third wicket. Rosemary Mair took four wickets in total as India’s chase petered out in the penultimate over.
The White Ferns face Australia in their next match on Wednesday.
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