18-year-old left-arm spinner Mannat Kashyap preyed on White Ferns to make her case for the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup which will take place in January 2023. Mannat took a match-winning fifer to bundle out New Zealand Under-19 team for 92 in run chase of 122.
Chasing 122 in Mumbai, the visitors faced an early setback as their opener Nensi Patel was dismissed for a golden duck by Shabnam Md Shakil. The other opener, Olivia Gain could not do much with the bat as well and lost her wicket to Hurley Gala. The 15-year-old pacer Shabnam struck again to dismiss Isabell Gaze and reduce New Zealand to 3/21.
With top-order batters back in the hut early, the hosts capitalised on the opportunity to strangle the visitors. Soniya Mendhiya bowled dot balls to put more pressure and dismissed Paige Loggenberg who had scored just five runs from 17 deliveries.
Mannat leaked few runs but kept the pressure on. Ashtuti Kumar was the first to break as required run rate climbed over 10 runs per over. Ashtuti got bowled by Mannat. In the same over, skipper Prue Catton (16) followed her back to the dressing room.
The collapse continued in the slog overs. Wicketkeeper-batter Abigale Gerken (3) and Ocean Bartlett (12) got out in Mannat's next over. In the 18th over, tailender Kayley Knight got run out (5). Mannat was asked to bowl the penultimate over by skipper Shweta Sehrawat. With plenty of runs to defend, Flora Devonshire was the last to fall as Mannat completed her fifer with three balls to go in her quota of four overs. She conceded 25 runs but got rid of middle and lower-middle order to help India win by 29 runs.
Earlier, Sehrawat won the toss and opted to bat first. She got out early but Gongadi Trisha played the role of anchor. Three of Indian batters -- Soumya Tiwari (7), Hurley (0) and Soniya (1) -- got run out. India lost their fifth wicket in the 10th over in the form of Nandini Kashyap (0). In the next over, Trisha lost her wicket as well. She scored 39 runs from 34 deliveries including six fours and one six.
India managed to play the full quota of 20 overs despite the middle-order collapse. Archana Devi scored 22-ball 15 whereas Prashavi Chopra remained not out for 15-ball 17 as India posted 121/9.
India are yet to announce their T20 squad for ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2023 which will be played between January 14 and January 29.
Currently, India are unbeaten in the five-T20I series. The 29-run win helped them take a 4-0 lead.
