IND vs NZ: The India Women vs New Zealand Women match in Bengaluru provided an entertaining glimpse of what lies ahead in the ICC Women’s World Cup. After a defeat against England in their opening warm-up match, India recovered superbly to beat New Zealand Women by four wickets, successfully chasing down 237 with ten balls to spare.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Harleen Deol Star in Successful Chase
Pursuing 237 in a 42-overs-a-side game, India Women began strongly with a first-wicket partnership of 54. Pratika Rawal and Uma Chetry’s early dismissals, though, left them at 71 for 2.
The foundation was laid when Harmanpreet Kaur (69) and Harleen Deol (74) batted together in a 132-run third-wicket partnership. Their union steadied the innings and placed India in command of the run chase.
Despite a late collapse from 203/2 to 230/6, India Women kept their cool and reached the target with ten balls to spare.
Rain Delay and New Zealand’s Batting: Devine, Kerr Shine
New Zealand Women had earlier won the toss and decided to bat first after an initial rain delay. India made initial inroads, lowering the White Ferns to 38/2 in the eighth over.
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Captain Sophie Devine steadied the innings with a calm 54, to which Amelia Kerr contributed a useful 40 from 67 balls to guide their team to 132/3. New Zealand ultimately scored a competitive 232/8 from 42 overs.
India’s Bowlers Shine in IND vs NZ: Charani, Goud, and Reddy Share Wickets
India’s bowlers finally put up a much-better performance after their previous loss:
N Shree Charani headed the bowling side with 3 wickets. Kranti Goud and Arundhati Reddy (returning from an injury scare) picked 2 wickets each. The bowlers kept the pressure intact, so New Zealand couldn’t put up a higher total.
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Key Takeaways: India Women vs New Zealand Women
India Women’s middle order came good with a 132-run partnership between Deol and Harmanpreet. Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr gave stability to New Zealand, but the team failed to defend the target. India showed signs of improvement in bowling, particularly from Charani and Reddy. The victory provides India Women with momentum leading into the ICC Women’s World Cup.
What’s Next for India Women?
Following a confidence-building victory in this IND vs NZ warm-up, India Women’s team would want to carry this momentum to the main tournament. Fitness of the players, particularly for important bowlers such as Arundhati Reddy, would be kept under close watch.
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