India Women vs New Zealand Women 1st ODI: Deepti Sharma's Brilliant Bowling Secures 59-Run Victory Over T20 World Champions

Add as a preferred source on Google

India Women vs New Zealand Women: India's women's cricket team secured a convincing 59-run victory over New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Chasing a target of 228 runs, New Zealand was bowled out for 168, with India's bowlers putting in a stellar performance. Opting to bat first, India faced early challenges, losing captain Smriti Mandhana in just the third over.

Mandhana, filling in as skipper for the resting Harmanpreet Kaur, was caught by Georgia Plimmer off Jess Kerr's bowling, setting a shaky tone for the innings. Despite this setback, India had several players who managed to get starts but struggled to convert them into big scores.

Deepti Sharma emerged as a key player for India, contributing a valuable 41 runs. She was well supported by debutant Tejal Hasabnis, who scored 42 runs, and Yastika Bhatia, who added 37. The pair of Jemimah Rodrigues and Hasabnis forged a vital partnership, putting together 61 runs for the fifth wicket, which helped stabilise the innings after early wickets fell.

However, India's batting line-up struggled against the crafty bowling of the Kerr sisters. Amelia Kerr claimed 4 wickets for 42 runs, while her sister Jess supported her with 3 for 49, along with Eden Carson, who chipped in with 2 for 42.

India's innings concluded at a modest 227 runs, leaving them with a challenging total to defend. The inability to convert promising starts into significant contributions was a concern for the team. Hasabnis, who was in good form, fell victim to Amelia's leg-spin after attempting an ambitious shot, leading to her stumping by Isabella Gaze.

In response, New Zealand's innings got off to a disastrous start. Debutant pacer Saima Thakor made an instant impact by dismissing opener Suzie Bates for just 1 run with her third delivery. Thakor's early breakthrough set the tone for the White Ferns' struggle, as they lost three more wickets to find themselves reeling at 79 runs.

New Zealand's captain, Sophie Devine, suffered an unusual dismissal, as she failed to get back behind the crease, allowing Yastika to remove the bails after a return from Deepti Sharma.

New Zealand briefly threatened to recover through a 49-run partnership between Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green, but Thakor dismissed Halliday, effectively derailing their chase. Ultimately, India's bowlers, particularly left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, who took 3 wickets for 35 runs, ensured that New Zealand could not build any momentum, securing the victory for India and a 1-0 lead in the series.