Melbourne: Put in to bat, India posted a below-par 133 for eight against New Zealand after a great start in the crucial group A match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at Junction Oval in Australia’s Melbourne on Thursday (February 27, 2020)). Opener Shafali top-scored with a 34-ball 46, while Taniya Bhatia chipped in with a 25-ball 23 but India frittered away a solid start to manage a low score. Radha Yadav scored a 9-ball 14 to give some respectability to the total. Still, with 133 on the board on a wicket that’s offering some assistance to the spinners, it’s likely a par score at the Junction Oval. Will it be spin to win again?
For New Zealand, Rosemary Mair (2/27) and Amelia Kerr (2/21) took two wickets each.
New Zealand earlier won the toss and opted to bowl first against India. The match began at 9:30 am Indian Standard Time (Australia time 3 pm) in the 4000-seater Junction Oval stadium which was earlier known as St Kilda Cricket Club Ground. Both the teams are unbeaten in the tournament so far with India at the top of Group A with two wins in two matches and New Zealand at the second spot after beating Sri Lanka in their opener.
India team: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Harleen Deol, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Richa Ghosh, Veda Krishnamurthy, Smriti Mandhana, Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav.
New Zealand Team: Sophie Devine (captain), Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Rachel Priest, Lea Tahuhu.
live updates on ICC Women’s T20 World Cup India vs New Zealand –
M Green comes on crease, faces R Gayakwad.
This is a huge moment for India in the game as Devine departs. Devine comletely miscues a juicy full toss outside off from Poonam Yadav, the balls safely lands into the hands of Radha Yadav at point. India well on top in Melbourne. New Zealand 46/3, Overs 10
WICKET!!! Huge blow for New Zealand. S Devine is out c Radha Yadav b Poonam Yadav.
Meanwhile, it was also Deepti Sharma’s 50th wicket in T20Is – Suzie Bates (T20 CWC, 2020)
Six overs done! Just 2 runs and a wicket off Deepti’s over. New Zealand 30/2, need 103 runs in 83 balls to win.
After Bates’ departure, Maddy Green comes to the crease.
Bates goes early, moving well outside the off stump trying to paddle behind square. But she can only play onto her stumps and India celebrate! Big wicket for India.
D Sharma to S Bates, WICKET!!! S Bates is out b Deepti Sharma. New Zealand are 31/2, Overs 5
Four runs from the Shikha Pandey’s over. Just the singles and a double from the over. But India have lost their review after thinking they’ve got Sophie Devine leg before but it was missing leg. New Zealand Women 22/1, Overs 4 ( Sophie Devine (C) 5 , Suzie Bates 4)
Review! Pandey angles this one into the pads of Bates and it crashes into her front pad, and Harmanpreet decides to take a review. Replays show the ball is missing leg stump. NOT OUT.
FOUR! Gayakwad strays onto the pads of Devine who, onto the back foot, gets a little tickle on this one as it trickles away to the vacant rope at fine leg.
Rachel Priest was send back as she tried to hit a full delivery from Shikha Pandey but got a top edge. Brilliantly done by Radha Yadhav to hold on at the edge of the circle amid the windy conditions.
S Pandey to R Priest, WICKET!!! R Priest is out c Radha Yadav b Shikha Pandey, New Zealand are 12/1, Overs 2.
12 runs off the first over! Priest moves across and smashes the ball on the leg side for another boundary. 12 runs came off the first over as New Zealand got off to a flying start.
Skipper Sophie Devine, Rachel Priest open for New Zealand, Deepiti Sharma begins bowling attack against New Zealand
12 runs came of the final over, including a runout on the last ball, as India posted 133/8. S Verma top scorer for India (46), T Bhatia 23 | A Kerr 2/21, R Mair 2/27 took two wickets each for New Zealand
WOW! After losing quick wickets, finally a SIX for India women. Full toss from Hayley Jensen and Radha plays a lofted inside out drive over the covers for a maximum, India 133/8, Overs 20. India set 134-run target for New Zealand.
R Yadav survives an unsuccessful stumping attempt from Priest in 20th over.
S Devine to D Sharma, WICKET!!! D Sharma is out c Hayley Jensen b Sophie Devine, India are 117/7, Overs 18.2
WICKET! Kerr makes a huge lbw appeal against Veda Krishnamurthy. Umpire says NOT OUT. NZ take a review and Veda Krishnamurthy is given out. Veda departs for 6. India in big trouble, score 104/6
FOUR! Full toss from Amelia Kerr and Krishnamurthy guides the ball towards covers for an easy boundary.
15 overs are done and India Women are at 100/5 ( Deepti Sharma 4 , Veda Krishnamurthy 2).
Meanwhile, 100 runs have come up on scoreboard for India.
Big wicket for New Zealand! A Kerr to S Verma, WICKET!!! S Verma is out c Hayley Jensen b Amelia Kerr. India 98/5, Overs 14
WICKET! Huge loss for India as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur hands a simple catch back to the bowler. IND 93/4 in 13 overs.
Six! Shafali Verma comes down the track, converts the delivery in to a full toss and lofts it over bowler’s head for a maximum. IND 90/3 in 12 overs
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur comes to the crease.
R Mair to J Rodrigues, WICKET!!! J Rodrigues is out c Amelia Kerr b Rosemary Mair, 107.2 km/h good length going down leg. India are 80/3 11.1/20
Jemimah Rodrigues gets off the mark in style with a boundary. IND 72/2 in 9.3 overs.
WICKET! India lose their second wicket as T Bhatia departs. Rosemary Mair strikes on the first ball of her second spell and sends Taniya Bhatia back to the dressing room. IND 68/2 in 9.1 overs.
Shafali Verma is on fire, hits back to back sixes for India. Verma batting at 25* & Taniya Bhatia 15*. India are 68/1, 9 Overs
50 runs for India! Amelia Kerr bowls a full-toss on the leg-stump and Taniya Bhatia beats the short fine-leg fielder and collects a boundary, bringing up 50 for India.
A Kerr to S Verma, no run, 76.0 km/h full toss outside off stump.
Kerr to T Bhatia, FOUR, 76.6 km/h full toss going down leg.
Verma, Bhatia are taking India forward after the early departure of Smriti Mandhana hitting back to back sixes and boudaries. After the powerplay, India are 49/1 after 5 Overs.
SIX! S Verma comes out and uses her feet to smack Peterson for a Six. India are 46/1 after 5 Overs
India 33/1 after 4 Overs; S Verma batting on 12* (10), T Bhatia 8* (6)
S Devine to S Verma, FOUR, 111.2 km/h short length on off stump.
After 3 overs, India Women 24/1 ( Shafali Verma 7, Taniya Bhatia (W) 5)
Lea Tahuhu, in her second over, gets rid of Smriti Mandhana on the second ball of the over. Slightly unlucky for Mandhana as it was an inside egde that shattered her stumps. Shafali tries to get the big shot in on the fourth and fifth ball but cannot do so. Taniya flicks the last delivery behind square and collects her first boundary. Nine runs off the over.
T Bhatia comes in to bat, hits Tahuhu for FOUR, India are 24/1 after 3 Overs.
Tahuhu stikes in the second over, bowls a yorker length delivery outside off stump, Smriti Mandhana fails to get it right and ends up dismantling her own stumps. Mandhana (11 runs) departs after a positive start. India 17/1 in 2.2 overs.
First blow for India! India lose Smriti Mandhana early.
After 2 overs, India Women 15/0 ( Shafali Verma 6 , Smriti Mandhana 9)
Four! The first boundary of the contest as Mandhana goes up and over cover. She didn’t get all of it, but enough to trickle away to the fence. India are 11/0 1.4/20
Shafali Verma opens the face of her bat to guide the ball towards third man and completes a single to get India off the mark. India are 6/0, 1 Overs
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana to open for India, Lea Tahuhu starts the proceedings for New Zealand
National anthems are being played at the moment, players from both the sides are out in the middle.
Can Shafali Verma give India a solid start?
India have made two changes in their playing XI from the last game. Smriti Mandhana is back in the squad after recovering from viral fever.
We are going to bowl first. It’s a fresh wicket, we would like to make most of the conditions. Couple of changes for us: Sophie Devine, New Zealand
Bureau Report
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