India vs New Zealand Highlights, Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: India lost the opening match by 58 runs against New Zealand

"Well I am just incredibly proud of my team. Obviously, everyone have been speaking about our recent results but to perform like this against a strong Indian side speaks volumes.

Yeah, I think we have been targeting this game since a long time now. We have taken inspiration from the Blackcaps as they had a lot of successful in world cups too against India but for us to come out here and lay a mark as a ground was incredible to takeaway. 

Well, the two openers set the platform really well for us. They batted freely at the top of the order and the stage was set for the remaining batters to play their natural game and take us to a strong total. Batters like, Amelia Kerr, Halliday may not have scored much runs but their contributions have been really valuable.

Yeah, look we spoke about 150 being a par score but we have managed to get 10 runs more to be honest. We know how strong this India Women team is but we have bowled really well to execute our plans and bowl them out.

(On facing Australia next game) Well we probably know them too well because we faced them recently. I certainly think, we will take a lot of confidence from this game and we will be licking our slips to play our next game against them."

"Well definitely we didn't play our best cricket today. Going forward, we have to see what areas we need to improve and bring our best game in the upcoming games.

We created chances but unfortunately we were not able to hold onto those chances. It's a part and parcel of the game. They played better cricket than us. Still, our bowlers did well. Our fielders did the mistakes. In these high-pressure games, you can't really afford to make those mistakes.

We have chased down many times 160-170. We weren't expecting 160 on this wicket. I feel we gave 10-15 extra runs. We kept losing wickets and I mean going forward, we have to learn how to go from now on.

Still, we managed pretty well. With the way they started, I thought they would get 180. But we did well. We know this group is not easy. This is not the start we were expecting. But we have to see how we have to work as a bowling group and as a batting group."

Sophie Devine

"Look I thought the platform from Bates and Plimmer set the tone for us. We spoke about capitalizing on the overs 7-10 or 7-12. We slowed down a bit but happy to get to that total in the end.

It was a tough wicket I thought. Pace off and trying to find the gap was a bit difficult. I had to muscle it and find the boundary. I thought if I spend some time in the middle, I can catch up.

This group has worked incredibly hard for the last six months and happy to get the rewards for it."

On a lighter note, India and New Zealand do have one thing in common today, that their respective captains top-scored. 

But in all seriousness, that is a serious blow for India's hopes of reaching the semifinals, without any exaggeration. 

DEVINE, fittingly, has a hand in India's final nail. She takes the catch and Mair has her 4th wicket. New Zealand came in to the World Cup on the back of a wretched run of form. In the end, it is a complete no contest for nearly half the night. 

Renuka Singh c Sophie Devine b Rosemary Mair 0 (1 balls)

INDIA LOSE BY 58 runs

Shreyanka's mini endeavour comes to an end. Could have been out caught earlier in the over but is dismissed a couple of deliveries later nevertheless. 

Shreyanka Patil c sub (Penfold) b Rosemary Mair 7 (13 balls)

Shreyanka loves a good sweep but she prefers a reverse sweep even more. A four off Melie Kerr as India get closer to 100. 

Shreyanka and Asha wouldn't have woken up today thinking they'd be batting together in the 16th and 17th overs of India's innings. But here they are, trying to delay the inevitable. 

The procession continues. As we said earlier, Melie Kerr might have had an off day with the bat but with the ball, she was always going to play a key role in these conditions. That is the power of having a truly all-rounder all-rounder. India staring at a heavy defeat as the last recognised batter Vastrakar is bowled through the gate by a googly. 

Not a day Deepti Sharma will remember very fondly. 0/45 in her four overs was a rare off day. And with the bat too, she never got going. To be fair, most Indians didn't. Tries to power one over cover and doesn't have the muscle. 

Deepti Sharma c Sophie Devine b Lea Tahuhu 13 (18 balls)

Vastrakar is no mug with the bat, and she makes it a 9-run over to help bridge the gap. 

It's a procession at the moment. All India can do now is reduce the margin of defeat. Arundhati Reddy also falls to change off pace. 

Arundhati Reddy c Suzie Bates b Rosemary Mair 1 (4 balls)

India are not just in danger of losing this match, but could be handed a severe Net Run Rate blow too... and that could easily mean they;d need to win big against Australia in Sharjah (looking far ahead). 

Maybe it's too early to call, but India's World Cup semifinal hopes might be about to take a serious blow tonight. 

Richa Ghosh had to do what Sophie Devine did in the backend for New Zealand but she couldn't get her timing going... and it is another slower-ball that completely outclasses Richa. Short of length ball, looped to mid off. India's best bet at this stage was Richa and this Tahuhu wicket all but gives NZ the win, we think. 

Richa Ghosh c Sophie Devine b Lea Tahuhu 12 (19 balls)

Some sloppy cricket all around in that over. First Deepti Sharma's lofted shot is dropped at mid on. Then Richa Ghosh hits a lofted off drive that falls short of the long off fielder. But the Indian batters don't run! Then Carson with a wide that goes for a couple of extras more. 

HALFWAY STAGE, plenty of work to do for India. Need 98 from 60 balls. 

WICKET! And the mounting required rate results in another wicket. This is why it was imperative for India to make a good start to the run-chase. This is slipping away from India rather hastily. The idea was right from Jemi, trying to clear the fielder at mid on, but the power isn't there. 

Jemimah Rodrigues c Maddy Green b  Lea Tahuhu 13 (11 balls)

Sisters bowling in tandem now. Melie Kerr had a tough day with the bat but her four overs of spin in the middle overs might well be decisive here. India can't attack too much at the moment and boundary-hitting will be hard. Jemimah will keep running (which might not be ideal for Richa). 

Jess Kerr with a fabulous 7th over for just 2 runs and this is where batting even got difficult for NZ too. India are left playing catch up and this is not looking good. 

RICHA SURVIVES: Rosemary with another fabulous delivery that swings back late, and Richa is in a different post code while playing this. Given not out, NZ review this and it looked good in the first few replays but there is too much bounce as per DRS. 

NEW ZEALAND RIGHT ON TOP, THOUGH. 

CAPTAIN GONE: Harmanpreet Kaur was starting to get into a groove, a fine square cut for four to start the 6th over. But Mair strikes back! This has been a problem area for Harman in the past, getting her feet locked in to pacers while trying to access the leg side. She reviews it immediately, but the ball is clipping the leg stump! 

Harmanpreet Kaur lbw b Rosemary Mair 15 (14 balls) 

A boundary for Harmanpreet and Jemimah either side of the Mandhana wicket. Both sweep shots. But Carson has broken the game open for NZ here big time. 

HUGE WICKET! And it is a offspinner who removes Mandhana in the powerplay again. The required rate was creeping up and Mandhana decided to take on a tough match up. She lofts it to long off. Silence in the venue. 

Smriti Mandhana c Maddy Green b Eden Carson 12 (13 balls)

Harmanpreet plays out four dot balls in the third over as Jess Kerr keeps the Indian captain pinned at the crease... couldn't exactly say that was a surprise. 

From our preview: Harmanpreet has played every edition of the tournament so far, and now at 35, is taking up a new challenge, one that is tricky for the skill-set she has. Not the fastest of starters, Harmanpreet has played a majority of her career in T20Is at No 4, where she could afford to take a little time to settle before upping the ante in the end. The No 3 will however be called upon often to negotiate the powerplay, and dot balls in the first six overs are not ideal.

Rosemary Mair comes into the attack and was bowling what was a really good over, on the angle to Smriti Mandhana. Nearly a mix-up too in that over between the batters. Mandhana avoids a maiden over by digging out a full ball past the keeper and short third, lovely innovation there for four. 

It is indeed Harmanpreet Kaur at No 3 as we had come to expect from India's lead-up to the World Cup. A huge challenge for her and India here. 

EARLY WICKET: New Zealand are not spin-heavy but no surprises to see Carson come into the attack early with Mandhana's weakness against spin. But it is Shafali who departs early as the ball stops on her and she gives an easy return catch. 

Shafali Verma c & b Eden Carson 2 (4 balls)

Smriti Mandhana has opened up her leg side game in recent times and she takes a ball that is going away from her to pull past square leg for a four. Repeats the shot later in the over but this time NZ have protection there. A bizarre call in the over to not call a wide for a ball down the leg side that even beat the keeper. Decent start for India though. 

Smriti Mandhana on strike against Jess Kerr, who will take the ball away from the lefie. India need a good powerplay, and it will be down to the openers to make sure they don't leave too much to catch up. 

A look at the NZ scorecard (via BCCI match center)

A big chase coming up for India. And the pitch didn't seem all that easy to bat in the middle overs. The powerplay is going to be all important for both sides. 

A 33-ball half century, what a knock by Devine! And for the most part, chanceless too. 

Some more poor fielding there in the last over, as India allow Devine to run two doubles, the throws weren't great from the deep. 

Shreyanka prevents a boundary off the last ball. And India have been set a daunting target of 161. 

Devine special. Finishes with 57 off 36 balls. 

Oh, good result for Shreyanka with the first ball, a low full toss falls short of the long on fielder but the captain is off strike. Green however puts Devine back on strike promptly. And the NZ captain powers it past Harmanpreet at mid off for YET ANOTHER HALF CENTURY. The captain has walked the talk 

India are going to be chasing 150-plus. But how much more? Shreyanka Patil to her RCB teammate. 

Poor finish to an otherwise decent outing for Renuka. She had to just keep Maddy Green quiet for the last ball when the batter was likely to take a risk. But offers a gift full toss that is put away for four. Devine will be on strike for the last over too. 

Renuka has her 2nd of the night as Halliday slices a length ball straight to Mandhana at cover. Devine is still out there but India have chipped away at the other end 

Brooke Halliday c Smriti Mandhana b Renuka Singh Thakur 16 (12 balls) 

EXPENSIVE OVER: As she started, so she finishes. A rare off day for India's premier off spinner. 4-0-45-0 for her, as Halliday hits two fours -- one reverse sweep and a sweetly stuck conventional sweep. Then another powerful shot past long on by Devine who has played a super knock here. 

Another mistake in that bizarre sequence. 

Regardless of the views on the dead ball call, one error was unquestionably made in that sequence.

Once it was determined a single, Kerr should have been on strike at the start of the next over.

— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) October 4, 2024

New Zealand are heading towards 140-150 here and that will be comfortably the highest score so far in this tournament. The pitch doesn't seem easy to bat against spin and the boundary sizes are significant too. Have India perhaps conceded too many here already? 

Arundhati finishes with 4-0-28-1, a good return for her and should have been better with better fielding. 

Eventful over from Shreyanka Patil. Two nearly identical LBW appeals against the left-handed Halliday, both from mishit sweep shots from around the wicket. The first is not reviewed, the second is. But on both occasions the umpire got it right, India lose a review. Devine meanwhile continues to show her power-game. A four in that over (and a mishit that fell between fielders) 

One brings two! ?

Both the openers are back as #AshaSobhana gets her first wicket! ??

Watch ?? #INDvNZ on #WomensWorldCupOnstar | LIVE NOW | Star Sports Network & Disney+Hotstar

(Only Available in India) pic.twitter.com/PUdH5bDzvf

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 4, 2024

Kerr's struggles might be over but Devine is the bigger threat for India at this stage and the NZ captain blasts a couple of fours at the end of the Renuka over. 

KERR IS A GONER THOUGH: Kerr falls immediately after and India will breathe easy now after the controversy. Once again, her intent is there but the timing isn't. She gives herself some room and drives Renuka through cover, where the catch is taken. Big celebration from the Indian captain Harmanpreet at mid off. 

Amelia Kerr c Pooja Vastrakar b Renuka Singh Thakur 13 (22 balls) 

Kerr just struggling to get going here, the intent is there but not the timing. 

CONTROVERSY: After hitting the ball to long off, Kerr jogs for a single. Harmanpreet picks up the ball at long off, then takes a few steps into the circle with the ball in hand but not throwing. Devine sees this from the wicket-keeper's end and calls Kerr for a second run. But in the meantime, the umpire is handing over the cap to the bowler, which usually signals dead ball and end of over. The second run is a bad call from Devine and Harman quickly realises what is happening and throws in a bullet effort to the keeper's end where Kerr is caught well short. The NZ batter is actually walking back to the dressing room before the umpires intervene. They seem to indicate it is a dead ball so review doesn't come in. A long chat follows with Harmanpreet where the Indian captain is indicating she was throwing the ball only because the NZ batters took the run but the animated argument from her doesn't work. Muzumdar is having a chat with the fourth official too. But nothing doing in the end. We move on. 

BACK-TO-BACK FOURS! Devine is not going to let her RCB teammate off the hook easily. It's the legspinner's final over and Devine dances down the track to brutally smash one past the bowler for four. Asha goes short to compensate and more brute power from Devine to pull it for four. 

Still a decent outing for Asha who's World Cup debut ends with figures of 1/22. 

MISSED CHANCE: Deepti Sharma, one of the best fielders in the. side and known for her bullet throws, goes for the wrong end with Devine and Kerr having a mix-up. Kerr's end, and she was a goner. Devine makes it in at the non-stirker's. That goes down as another fielding mishap. 

Shreyanka Patil comes on for her first over. The WPL Purple Cap winner will be bowling to her RCB teammate Devine. 

Melie Kerr is one of the best batters of spin in the world at the moment so to keep her quiet is a mini win for Asha in that over. Just three singles off it. 

Still no Shreyanka Patil, she could well bowl a couple of overs at the death. 

Time for a drinks and we go again with Asha entering her third over. 

After that mini-disaster of an over to end the powerplay, India have regathered quite nicely. Arundhati and Asha dragging their sides back into the field and there seems to be a better energy on the field as well, especially with Jemimah who has been electric. 

But NZ still going at a healthy rate and this partnership is critical. 

India's work not done yet by any means as Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine are arguably NZ's best batters. This is the partnership that might well make or break the match for either side. 

Superb over from Asha. A wicket off the first ball and then three dots to welcome Devine to the middle. The NZ captain looks to break free off the fifth ball with a lofted hit down the ground but it is mishit and so avoids the fielder at long on. 

TWO QUICK WICKETS! Asha's good length delivery this time goes with the arm (not sure it was an arm-ball or just the drift across the ground). Plimmer is down the track and drags it wide of long on when she was aiming to actually go straight down the track. Mandhana takes a good catch running to her right at long on. 

Georgia Plimmer c Smriti Mandhana b Asha Sobhana 34 (23 balls)

BREAKTHROUGH! Finally, India break the opening partnership and Shreyanka Patil it is who takes the catch at deep midwicket. Arundhati deserved a wicket in her short spell and she gets it by getting Bates to drag one through midwicket off length.

Suzie Bates c Shreyanka Patil b Arundhati Reddy 27 (24 balls)

First real sign of turn in this match, but it is slow turn for Asha. Still, helps create some doubt in the batters' minds. Harmanpreet backing Arundhati for another over, who really shouldn't have gone for 12 in her first over and should have also had a wicket. 

Asha Sobhana into the attack. How do India recover from that poor powerplay? They could use a couple of wickets and the wrist spin of Asha might be crucial. 

Shocking fielding from India

from Renuka Singh Thakur at deep square leg. Absolutely poor effort to let the ball through her legs and worse, doesn't even bother putting in the required effort to get back and stop the ball from going for a four. Harmanpreet is frustrated, camera pans to Amol Muzumdar who has kept saying fielding is their focus. Couple of balls later, Arundhati Reddy induces a false shot from Bates and Richa Ghosh never got under it properly. Circled around the ball and dropped it. 

Poor, poor end of the powerplay for India. 55/0 after 6 overs. 

As she often does, Deepti bowling the tough overs. Two in the powerplay for her. Half a chance for Shafali at midwicket as Bates hits one uppishly. Great fielding at deep midwicket twice in the over, showing why she is one of India's best. India need more of that energy, it's all been a little bit flat otherwise. 

A muted appeal for stumping in that Renuka over as the umpire signals for the third umpire to come in, India get in to a huddle. Harmanpreet realising India are being put under pressure here... perhaps wanting the side to regather their focus. 

EXPENSIVE OVER. Plimmer goes after arguably India's most economic bowling option. First ball, down the track for a four past mid off. Last ball, down the track for a six over long on. Smriti Mandhana was there, waiting for the shot but she is a few yards inside the rope... had she been on the boundary line, that was a catch.