Women's T20 World Cup: Listless India Succumb To New Zealand, Suffer 58-Run Walloping

India's campaign at the Women's T20 World Cup got off to the worst possible start, as they were thumped by a 58-run margin by an inspired New Zealand in Dubai on Friday (October 4, 2024). Chasing a 161-run target, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co were shot out for a paltry 102 runs in 19 overs. (Highlights | Full Coverage)

As Australia is also in Group A, the crushing defeat to the White Ferns has rocked India's semi-final chances. Two teams qualify from each of the five-member groups, and with New Zealand making a strong statement in their opener, the task is cut out for the Women In Blue. They must win the games against Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the very least, though that would still not guarantee the Indians qualification, given New Zealand's performance today and India's dismal net run rate.

The White Ferns also ended their 10-match losing streak in style, with their biggest win against India in T20Is.

On a pitch which was quite difficult for batting, captain Sophie Devine's power-packed unbeaten 57 off 36 balls took New Zealand to an above-par 160 for 4 in 20 overs.

The 35-year-old Kiwi legend then used her slow bowlers to first choke the Women in Blue, and then asked her seamers to take pace off deliveries, blowing the opposition away for a lowly 102 in 19 overs.

The game for all practical reasons was won and lost in the powerplay. While Suzie Bates (27 off 24 balls) and young Georgia Plimmer (34 off 23 balls) added 55 in the first six overs, India lost their three potential game-changers, Shafali Verma (2), Smriti Mandhana (12) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (15) in their powerplay for only 43 runs.

The best part about Devine was that the batter in her understood what the skipper required to do. She started with left-arm spinner Eden Carson (2/34 in 4 overs) from one end and Shafali, who is never comfortable if pace is taken off deliveries, closed her bat face and a simple return catch lobbed to the bowler.

Mandhana, India's best and most consistent batter over the past few years, also tried to get going and was holed out in the deep while seamer Rosemary Mair (4/19 in 4 overs) bowled one that swung in to hit Harmanpreet on the pads.

Such was the slowness that even Lea Tahuhu (3/15 in 4 overs) had Jemimah Rodrigues trying to chip it over mid-on but the stroke lacked power and Richa Ghosh chipped one to mid-off as the Indian challenge fizzled out in a jiffy.

Earlier, on a sticky track where stroke-making was difficult, Devine muscled her way with seven boundaries as most Indian bowlers sans Deepti Sharma (0/45 in 4 overs) used the tackiness of the track to good effect for the better part of the innings.

One thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was poor ground fielding from India save Rodrigues, who was brilliant as usual in the deep.

Veteran Bates and young Plimmer rode their luck and some shoddy fielding from India to race to 55 at the end of the Powerplay.

But once leg-spinner Asha Sobhana (1/22 in 4 overs) started operating just after powerplay, she immediately put the brakes. Once Devine started chancing her arms at the death, however, the Indian bowlers were left with little option.

(With PTI inputs)