An inept batting performance by India led to an all-too familiar surrender against New Zealand as the Mithali Raj-led side went down by 62 runs in its second league stage match of the ICC Women's World Cup here on Thursday (March 10). Captain Mithali Raj had no hesitation in admitting that top order's performance hasn't been up to the mark as India didn't have "a batter to take the game deep" in their defeat. India managed only 198 in a chase of 260 against the White Ferns after only 50 runs were scored off 20 overs in Hamilton.
"Our batting, especially the top and middle order needs to fire because other teams are posting 250-260," Raj said at post-match presentation ceremony. "We thought it was chaseable but provided we had the top order going. But back-to-back wickets put a lot of pressure because we didn't have batter who can take it deep.
"There was bounce and good carry off the surface but it was not a tough strip to bat on. Their seamers were hitting the right areas with the bounce, but it wasn't unplayable and we could have done better," she added.
Raj has expressed the same concern after the win against Pakistan in India's campaign opener when the lower order made up for the faltering top order.
The silver lining for India once again was the bowling effort according to the skipper as they were able to restrict the hosts, who were cruising towards a huge total at one stage, to 260 for 9.
"Our bowlers have done well today and earlier as well. After the early wickets we got, the way they had a partnership I thought they'd get around 270-280. There was bounce and it got slower in the second innings," Raj observed.
India's top-order has to fire: Bowling coach Das
Indian batting coach Shiv Sunder Das said rotation of strike is a cause of worry and they might have to rethink the team's batting order following flop show against New Zealand.
"The top order has to fire. We have the batting firepower to go deeper in the tournament. Looking at the top order, once you get going in the 10-15 overs, you can put on good score," Das said in the post-match media interaction.
With three southpaws in the top-order, the White Ferns gave the new ball to off-spinner Frances Mackay as she returned with a tidy 8-1-25-0.
Inexperienced Yastika struggled to rotate the strike in her 59-ball 28, while Smriti and (6 from 21 balls ) and Deepti (5 from 13 balls) were equally slow as India made just 50 runs in 19.1 overs.
"The strike rotation is a worry for us. The top order had has to fire. We have an experience top-order with Smriti batting. We thought, we can get some runs. Maybe we have to rethink about it (the batting order) in the next game," Das said.
Really complete performance: Sophie Devine
For home team skipper Sophie Devine, it was a "complete performance". "Really complete performance. We built partnerships throughout, (Amy) Satterthwaite was outstanding, we laid the platform and we knew it was a good score," Devine said.
She was all praise for the bowlers as they tightened the noose around Indian top order.
"Our bowlers were outstanding, didn't give them anything. We have different people putting their hand up in different phases of the game, that's what we want in the World Cup.
"The girls were outstanding today, they had the pressure on them to make sure they stood up, (Frances) Mackay (off spinner) was outstanding as well. (Lea) Tahuhu in the middle overs was certainly a role we saw her play last year in the UK." Devine said that she is spoilt for choice with multiple bowling options.
"We've got so many options now to bowl, our spinners, so it's a really good space. (This World Cup) is an interesting one, the first one was a bad game of cricket but we took a lot of positives. We didn't play our best that day," she further added.
