India concede their highest powerplay score in T20 World Cups

The Indian women began their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign horrifically, conceding 55/0 in the first six overs against New Zealand openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer — the most they have leaked in the powerplay in ICC T20 World Cups. 

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. India slipped in their execution in the first over itself, when Pooja Vastrakar allowed the experienced Bates to score a four on the first ball itself and then leaked one more boundary in the over. 

Georgia Plimmer took on the spinner when Deepti Sharma came on to bowl the third over. In her first over, Plimmer smashed Sharma for 16, including a four and a six. 

Both batters used their feet against spinners and pacers and took full advantage of India’s sloppiness in the field. Despite the team management's focus on fielding and fitness, India’s fielding continued to be poor in the first six overs. Renuka Thakur let a ball pass through her legs for a four, and wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh dropped a simple chance of Bates. 

Meanwhile, the use of feet from both batters neutralised Sharma’s off-spin very effectively, and the ball wasn’t taking many turns either. 

Before this, it was coincidentally New Zealand who held the record, scoring 51/0 in Guayana in the 2018 T20 World Cup.

This is the second Group A game in the World Cup, after Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka on the first day by 31 runs in Sharjah.

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