India lost back to back games against New Zealand women in their preparatory tour for the 2022 ODI World Cup on Tuesday, 15 February. Down by 0-2 in the 5-match series India will now have to go hammer and tongs against a NZ team that are looking absolutely set at the moment.
Despite India putting up a big total against the White Ferns in the first innings, the hosts managed to chase it down with three wickets and one over remaining. India tried their absolute best in this see-saw game and put as much pressure as they could. Not only did India manage to secure three wickets inside the first 10 overs, they removed the big fishes in Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite.
However, an off day for part-timer Harmanpreet Kaur and the lack of Jhulan Goswami in the pace department costing them and allowed Amelia Kerr to score a superb hundred to see NZ through.
A patient innings that saw seven boundaries saw her hold the innings together from the fifth over till the rest of the innings. Barring Kerr, Maddy Green played a brilliant innings of 52 off 61 balls and secured a partnership of 128 runs off 148 balls to put NZ in a comfortable position.
Earlier in the day, the Indian openers started scoring at an excellent rate early in the innings, but two quick strikes of Yastika Bhatiya and opener Sabbhineni Meghana dented their flow of runs. The two players got out close to each other between 21st and 22nd over when India had put on 110 runs after getting a blazing start in the first 10.
Their wickets dented the flow of runs and India were stuck between the 21st and the 30th over. Very few runs came owing to Mithali Raj’s inability to shift gears and India were staring at a below par total of 250 runs at that stage.
However, the introduction of Richa Ghosh turned fortunes for India and her shot making paved the way for Mithali to get on a counter attack. Both players stitched a partnership of 108 off 107 balls and left the White Ferns clueless. Raj stayed on till the final ball scoring 66 off 81 while Richa was dismissed after a whirlwind innings of 65 off 64 balls.
India managed to post 270, but at the end it was not enough. Amelia Kerr was announced the player of the match for her superb century.