We witnessed grit, focus, and execution of the plan by New Zealand women, who managed to score 9-260 in stipulated 50 overs after India decided to put them to bat first.
The turning point of the match was a difficult but not so difficult catch of Amelia Kerr who managed to scoop the ball while playing her favorite shot – Sweep on the bowling of Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Yastika Bhatia was the fielder who dropped the in-form New Zealand all-rounder. Kerr had just come in to bat when New Zealand had lost two crucial wickets of Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine on the bowling of Gayakwad. The fielding effort by Bhatia looked like a half-hearted one even though she managed to fall while trying to hold on to the ball. She was slow in her anticipation and execution to really catch the ball thus managing to drop that one.
The White Ferns took full advantage of it and Kerr continued her good form and went on to score a classy 50 (64 balls) who along with Amy Satterthwaite (75 runs off 84 balls) and Katey Martin (41 runs off 51 balls) took the score to a challenging 260-9 in 50 overs.
I felt the captaincy by Mithali Raj was good today except for her decision to take off Gayakwad from the bowling attack, who had almost got Kerr out in the previous over that she had bowled and replaced her with Deepti Sharma.
The credit should be given to some fine and disciplined bowling, especially by Pooja Vastrakar (4-34) and ever-reliable Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2-46) who did not let the hosts get away easily.
Playing just her 2nd World Cup ODI Match, Pooja Vastrakar has picked a 4-Wicket Haul #NZvIND #TeamIndia #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/FlUxzC516N
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 10, 2022
It was a display of great composure and application which was evident in the determined team effort to bowl India out for 198 in the 47th over. It was painful to watch Indian women showing no intent to chase the given target of 260. It looked as if each batter had sworn not to look at the scoreboard and rather continue with the net practice. This display was shocking for Indian fans and was a reward for New Zealand. Had each batter even done good for their own selves, maybe India would have been closer to the target or even won the match who knows?
Slow batting and lack of intent to win, cost India the match. Only Mithali Raj (31 runs off 56 balls) managed to cross the score of 30 apart from Harmanpreet Kaur who smashed 71 (63 balls) as India were bundled out for 198.
14th ODI Half-Century for Harmanpreet Kaur in 54 balls. #CWC22 #NZvIND 📸ICC/Getty pic.twitter.com/Z6ZCSLu0j9
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 10, 2022
Take-Home for India – Play to win
New Zealand- 2 points and united effort.
Minoti Desai is a former India Test and ODI cricketer. She is also the author of the book “She The Cricketer”. This is an exclusive Column by Minoti Desai for FemaleCricket.com where she would express her thoughts around Team India’s campaign for the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022
Minoti Desai is a former India Test and ODI cricketer. She is also the author of the book “She The Cricketer”
