The White Ferns bounced back in style to level the three-match ODI series with a comprehensive 76-run victory in the 2nd ODI. Skipper Sophie Devine’s all-round show (79 off 86 balls & 7.1-0-27-3) was at the forefront of their victory.
Renuka Singh Thakur replaces Arundhati Reddy and Hannah Rowe comes in for Jess Kerr
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine won the toss and opted to bat first in the 3rd and the final ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The New Zealand openers Georgia Plimmer and Suzie Bates got their side off to a cautious start with a 24-run opening partnership. A miscommunication between the duo resulted in Suzie Bates finding herself short of the crease to provide the first breakthrough for India.
Brooke Halliday’s career-best 86 propels New Zealand post a fighting total
The visitors, New Zealand lost a couple of wickets in quick succession, including the wicket of their skipper Sophie Devine to bring India firmly back into the contest. Brooke Halliday joined Georgia Plimmer at the crease and the duo stitched a much-needed 30-run partnership for the 4th wicket to take their side past the 50-run mark. Priya Mishra picked up the wicket of Georgia Plimmer to provide the 4th breakthrough for her side.
Maddy Green joined Brooke Halliday at the crease and just when the partnership was settling into a substantial one, they lost the wicket of Maddy Green courtesy of another run-out. Wicket-keeper batter Isabella Gaze joined Brooke Halliday at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 64-run partnership for the 6th wicket to take their side past the 150-run mark. Deepti Sharma picked up the wicket of wicket-keeper batter Isabella Gaze to provide the 6th breakthrough for India.
Hannah Rowe joined Brooke Halliday at the crease and the duo stitched another crucial 47-run partnership for the 7th wicket to take their side closer to the 200-run mark. Deepti Sharma returned and picked up the wicket of Brooke Halliday to provide the 7th breakthrough for her side. She departed for a well-constructed half-century (86 off 96 balls). It is also her career-best performance with the bat for her side in the ODI format.
India needs 233 runs to seal the three-match ODI series at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
New Zealand were eventually bundled out for 232 with one ball to spare. Brooke Halliday (86 off 96 balls), Georgia Plimmer (39 off 67 balls), wicket-keeper batter Isabella Gaze (25 off 49 balls), and Lea Tahuhu (24* off 14 balls) were the top performers with the bat for New Zealand. Deepti Sharma (10-2-39-3), Priya Mishra (10-1-41-2), Saima Thakor (9.5-1-44-1), and Renuka Singh Thakur (10-1-49-1) were the top performers with the ball for India.
Chasing a target of 233, India lost Shafali Verma early in the chase with only 16 runs on the board as Hannah Rowe provided New Zealand the key breakthrough. Wicket-keeper batter Yastika Bhatia joined Smriti Mandhana at the crease and the duo stitched a much-needed 76-run partnership for the 2nd wicket to take their side closer to the 100-run mark.
Skipper Sophie Devine took the matter into her own hands to send wicket-keeper batter Yastika Bhatia back to the pavilion, providing the much-needed 2nd breakthrough for her side.
Smriti Mandhana rides her luck to find her lost mojo back
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur joined Smriti Mandhana at the crease and the duo stitched a massive 117-run partnership for the 3rd wicket to take their side past the 200-run mark, taking the fizz out of the run chase. However, the Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana rode her luck as she was plumb in front, off the bowling of Lea Tahuhu in the 3rd over of the run chase. The ball struck her pad first, before hitting the bat, and neither the bowler appeal nor did they go upstairs to review the decision to the 3rd umpire.
There was no looking back for Smriti Mandhana since then, probably the kind of luck she required to get her form back with the bat. She went on to notch up her 8th ODI century, the most by an Indian in Women’s ODIs, surpassing former skipper Mithali Raj (7). India eventually got over the line with 6 wickets in hand and 34 balls to spare. Smriti Mandhana (100 off 122 balls), skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (59* off 63 balls), wicket-keeper batter Yastika Bhatia (35 off 49 balls), and Jemimah Rodrigues (22* off 18 balls), were the top performers with the bat for India.
Hannah Rowe (8-0-47-2), Fran Jonas (9-1-50-1), Eden Carson (10-0-45-0), and skipper Sophie Devine (7.2-0-44-1) were the top performers with the ball for New Zealand. Smriti Mandhana was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational match-winning century (100 off 122 balls) with the bat. She played a crucial role alongside skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to hold their nerve in the run chase, resulting in India clinching the three-match ODI series (2-1) against New Zealand.
Deepti Sharma was awarded the Player of the Series for her all-round contributions throughout the ODI series.
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