Skipper Mithali Raj’s well-crafted half-century went in useless as Indian batting flopped as soon as once more with the guests shedding the primary WODI in opposition to New Zealand by 62 runs right here on Saturday. Opting to bowl, New Zealand rode on Suzie Bates century (106 off 111 balls) to attain a difficult 275 and India have been all-out within the final over for 213 in 49.4 overs and by no means for as soon as seemed like being within the chase.
The 39-year-old Mithali, enjoying her 221st ODI, continued her dream type within the format — seven fifties within the final 11 innings in ODIs — to maintain India within the hunt with a 73-ball 59 (6×4). Indian ladies’s workforce of their final ODI recorded their highest ever run chase of 265 set by Australia ladies in September final 12 months, a win that had ended their rivals 26-match successful streak.
Mithali additionally joined Charlotte Edwards in making 1,000 runs in opposition to 4 totally different groups — Australia, England, Sri Lanka and New Zealand — in ODI cricket. She additionally grew to become the primary Indian to succeed in 1000 ladies’s ODI runs in opposition to New Zealand.
Mithali received a nice assist from left-hander Yastika Bhatia, who dropped all the way down to her traditional No 3 spot, to stroke a 63-ball 41 because the duo added 88 runs of their restoration act. But she perished to a brief ball from Hayley Jensen (2/36), one thing that triggered the Indian collapse earlier than Jess Kerr sealed the difficulty for the hosts with a matchwinning 4/35 as India collapsed for 213 in 49.4 overs to path the five-match ODI sequence 0-1.
India had earlier misplaced the one-off T20I by 18 runs of their sequence opener on February 9. India additionally paid a worth for Harmanpreet Kaur’s poor type as she coming contemporary from her exploits within the Big Bash the place she was adjudged ‘Player of the Tournament’ couldn’t make it massive perishing for a 22-ball 10.
She final notched a fifty in March 2021 in opposition to South Africa as her final 5 innings scores learn a poor 10, 16, 19, 1, 30 not out, portray a sorry image for India forward of the World Cup beginning right here from March 4. The absence of their star batter Smriti Mandhana, who’s serving her prolonged managed isolation and quarantine, as soon as once more harm India badly particularly of their document chase of 275.
There was no extra left-right opening mixture with southpaw Yastika Bhatia taking place to her traditional No 3, whereas Meghana partnered Shafali Verma up entrance. Rewarded for her spectacular T20I outing (a 30-ball 37 at No 4) the opposite day, Meghana was watchful to begin with as India’s run chase began with 12 dot balls, courtesy Tahuhu and Jess Kerr’s maiden overs.
Her wobbly innings (4 from 14 balls) lastly ended within the fifth over after she edged one to the slip as Shafali (12 from 16b) grew to become impatient to overlook full stump to be trapped lbw in a comfortable method. Wicketkeeper batter Richa Ghosh made a cameo of 27-ball 22 however after her dismissal with a nice stumping India’s run-chase fizzled out.
Earlier, New Zealand have been eyeing a rating of 300-plus with veteran opener Suzie Bates’s glowing eleventh ODI century, however India bounced again strongly taking final 5 wickets for 25 runs to bundle them out for 275 in 48.1 overs. Suzie made stuffed with the reprieve she received on 14 when Rajeshwari Gayakwad dropped her at level off Pooja Vastrakar’s bowling to attain a elegant 106 off 111 balls, studded with 10 boundaries.
Suzie received to her thirty eighth fifty in 66 balls, her first ODI half-century since January 2020 to attract degree with fellow White Ferns legend Debbie Hockley.
She later notched her triple in 107 balls, with a single off Poonam Yadav and within the subsequent over she made her intention clear with again foot pull for a boundary in opposition to Deepti Sharma.
