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India suffered a crushing 58-run defeat against New Zealand in their opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup 2024, held in Dubai on Friday, October 4.
India suffer heavy defeat in T20 World Cup opener
Chasing a target of 161, India's batting lineup collapsed, being bowled out for 102 in 19 overs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was the top scorer with 15 runs, but the rest of the batting order failed to contribute significantly.
New Zealand, despite a recent streak of 10 consecutive losses, made a strong statement by dominating India, one of the top teams in the tournament. This defeat is a major setback for India's chances in a challenging group. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, while acknowledging this Indian team as one of the best in the T20 World Cup, admitted that their performance on this day was far from satisfactory.
Sophie Devine powers New Zealand to competitive total
Sophie Devine played a crucial role in leading New Zealand to a competitive total of 160/4 against India in their opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup. On a challenging pitch that made shot-making difficult, Devine anchored the innings with a well-constructed 57 off 36 balls, including seven boundaries. Her 46-run partnership with Brooke Halliday in just 4.2 overs provided a significant boost to New Zealand's total, considering the challenging conditions.
Devine, who strategically dropped herself down the order, displayed excellent footwork throughout her innings. A notable highlight was her cover drive off Shreyanka Patil to reach her half-century. Despite India's strong bowling performance, with Asha Sobhana and Arundhati Reddy claiming wickets at a good economy rate, Deepti Sharma struggled, conceding 45 runs in four overs.
Amelia Kerr's run-out drama
A controversial decision during India's T20 World Cup 2024 match against New Zealand left the Indian camp in disbelief. Amelia Kerr, the New Zealand batter, was ruled not out despite being clearly short of her crease. The incident unfolded in the 14th over when Kerr nudged the ball toward long off for a single. After a brief delay, Sophie Devine urged Kerr to attempt a second run. Harmanpreet Kaur's precise throw appeared to have run Kerr out, prompting celebrations from the Indian team.
However, the umpires declared the ball dead after the first run was completed, allowing Kerr to return to her crease. This unexpected ruling caught India off guard, leading to heated discussions among Indian players, the umpires, and head coach Amol Muzumdar. Despite Harmanpreet Kaur's visible frustration, the umpires upheld their decision, and Kerr continued her innings. She was eventually dismissed in the following over, scoring 13 runs off 22 balls, but the contentious moment remained a hot topic for the rest of the match.
Fielding blunder cost India dearly
India's ground fielding performance was disappointing, with Jemimah Rodrigues being the only standout exception. Costly errors, such as a dropped catch by Richa Ghosh and a misfield by Renuka Singh, allowed New Zealand's openers, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, to capitalize on their opportunities.
After the Powerplay, Sobhana and Reddy's bowling helped India regain control, dismissing both openers within three deliveries and slowing down New Zealand's scoring rate. Despite these setbacks, Devine's late surge ensured the White Ferns posted a challenging total for India to chase.
