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The Kiwis were chasing a gettable 228 but were bowled out for 168 by India, who now lead the three-match series 1-0.
In Thursday’s first women’s ODI in Ahmedabad, India defeated New Zealand by a commanding 59 runs thanks to the bowlers’ unrelenting accuracy, which was spearheaded by Radha Yadav. The Kiwis were chasing a gettable 228 but were bowled out for 168 by India, who now have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Yadav, a left-arm spinner (4/42) was India’s best bowler. In just the second ball of her international career, debutant pacer Saima Thakor struck the first blow, dismissing Suzie Bates (1).
Behind the stumps, Bates sent Yastika Bhatia a feathered away-swinger.
That was just the start, though, as New Zealand reached 79 and three more wickets were lost. The most strange of these was the dismissal of captain Sophie Devine.
Bowler Deepti Sharma threw the ball back to Devine, who failed to drag her feet back behind the crease as stumper Yastika whipped the bails off.
The fifth-wicket partnership between Brook Halliday (39) and Maddy Green (31) was worth 49 runs, the most in their innings, and gave New Zealand a fleeting hope of a comeback.
The New Zealand innings never recovered after Thakor came back to dismiss Halliday, breaking the escalating stand.
Prior to that, India also had a frustrating batting experience as they were bowled out for a slightly below-par 227 after choosing to bat first and were unable to overcome the cunning Kerr sisters, Amelia and Jess.
The Kiwis’ charge with the ball was led by leg-spinner Amelia (4/42) and medium pacer Jess (3/49), who were well-supported by off-spinner Eden Carson (2/42).
The incapacity of the batters to convert the starts they received was the scourge of the Indian innings.
Although they got off to a great start, Deepti Sharma (41), Tejal Hasabnis (42), Shafali Verma (33), Yastika (37) and Jemimah Rodrigues (35) were unable to build on their success.
Since she was batting so well before getting out to Amelia, Hasabnis in particular will feel awful.
Seeing the flight, the right-hander danced down the track to the leg spinner, but she was unable to make contact with the ball as she attempted a powerful heave. Isabella Gaze, a stunner, did the rest.
A partnership of 50 or more, a 61 between Rodrigues and Hasabnis for the fifth wicket, was the only positive aspect of India’s innings.
After Harmanpreet Kaur was rested because of a niggle, captain Smriti Mandhana took the field and was removed in the third over.
When India failed to give their innings the early momentum they wanted, she gave Georgia Plimmer a simple catch off Jess.
They then battled for it for the remainder of the innings, but the bowler for the hosts came through.