NEWS
Follow UsIndia had a forgettable outing at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, losing two of the four games they played. However, the loss that would have hurt them the most would have been the 58-run loss against New Zealand in the tournament's first game, which derailed their campaign.
Now, just three days after playing a historic T20 World Cup final, the champions, New Zealand, were playing an ODI against India in Ahmedabad. However, it was India’s day in the first ODI, as they defeated the visitors by 59 runs.
With the bat, almost all key Indian batters got starts but blew it away right before converting it into a big knock. All-rounder Deepti Sharma and debutant Tejal Hasabnis were the best batters on show, and their 40s allowed India to score a below-par 227 in their first innings.
“Tough last one-and-half, two months, really happy to start off with a win,” skipper Smriti Mandhana said, who’s covering for regular Harmanpreet Kaur, who’s out with a niggle.
While the stand-in skipper Mandhana understood the total was below par, it was another debutant, Saima Thakor, whose pace bowling set the tone for India to defend just 227 runs. She followed an excellent line to veteran Suzie Bates right from her first over and bowled her third delivery on the fifth stump line on a good length. Bates poked at that tentatively and edged the ball to the keeper.
“We believed that we could win right from the first ball. if you don't believe in cricket, you won't be able to do it. We had a good huddle talk, we felt we were under par, and Saima set the tone for us. She has been around with us for the last one-and-half, two months, and she has been brilliant throughout, I'm really happy for her and hope this is just the start for her.”
Meanwhile, Saima had already visualised how she’d get Bates out even before she got her debut cap from her Mumbai teammate Jemimah Rodrigues. “I was visualising that [Bates’s wicket] last night, and it felt like a dream when it came true. Jemi has seen me a lot and I couldn't have asked for a better person to receive my maiden cap from,” Saima said after the game.
Kiwi skipper Sophie Devine said that her team will try and hit the ground running in the second game.
“We did a fantastic job to restrict them. It was a very good cricket wicket, we thought 260-270 was par, we were confident at the innings break but when you lose wickets consistently, it is difficult,” Devine said about her team’s performance after the game.
“When you take wickets it generally slows down the scoring rate, the way India started we thought it was going to be 350-400 but we did well to restrict them to 227…Anytime you put on the White Ferns cap we expect better of us, we will have a couple of days off and we will try and hit the ground running on Sunday.”
With this win, the Indian women lead the three ODI series 1-0. The second game will be played on Sunday, October 27, at the same venue.
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