IND-W vs NZ-W second ODI: Devine leads from the front as the White Ferns romp home
New zealand women vs india women 2024 2nd ODI - Live Cricket Score, Commentary
 |
New Zealand's experienced trio of Devine, Bates and Tahuhu levelled the series 1-1. The Radha-Thakur pair reduced the margin of defeat by making India's biggest partnership for the ninth wicket in ODIs.
Her knock ensures that the excellent foundation laid by the openers Bates and Plimmer is not wasted, gives the New Zealand side a badly-needed win after the comprehensive defeat in the opening game; series finale on Oct. 29
New Zealand made 259 for 9 (Devine 79, Bates 58, Radha 4-69) to beat India by 76 runs. It was a day when Radha Yadav could do it all: fly in like a superwoman to take two brilliant catches, take 4 for 69 with the ball, become India's top scorer with 48 from No. 9 and help add 70 runs for the ninth wicket with Saima Thakor. It was not only India's highest partnership while chasing a target of 260 against New Zealand on Sunday, but also their highest ODI partnership for the ninth wicket.
 |
| NZ's
experienced trio of Devine, Bates and Tahuhu level series 1-1 |
But unfortunately for India, all these performances could not help them avoid defeat. Not just that, New Zealand also picked up crucial points in the Women's Championship, helping them stay in the race for direct qualification for next year's ODI World Cup.
Devine made 79 and overcame a quiet period with the bat for her side, eventually taking New Zealand's first innings total to 259. With the ball, she also dismissed her opposite numbers Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues. India's chase never got back on track after that brief stand, falling well short despite some resilience towards the end of the contest.
Five overs into the chase, India were 26 for 3, with Smriti Mandhana dismissed without scoring. She had Lea Tahuhu caught at point in the first over, before Jess Kerr dismissed Shefali Verma in the fourth over for an entertaining 11 runs. In the next over, Tahuhu had Yastika Bhatia caught by wicketkeeper Isabella Gage, who ended the day with four catches.
Harmanpreet and Rodrigues added 38 for the fourth wicket and it remained India's highest partnership until Radha and Thakor's 70-run stand for the ninth wicket. Harmanpreet's 24 was the most scored by any top-seven batsman for India and at 77 for 5 in the 18th over, the game had derailed.
.jpg) | ||
|
But the fact that it was a challenging target for them to chase was overshadowed by half-centuries from Devine and Suzie Bates. Bates shared an 87-run stand for the first wicket with Georgia Plimer to set the tone for New Zealand, whose innings can be divided into four distinct quarters. The first quarter belonged to Bates and Plimer, who smashed 13 fours and a six in the first 15 overs.
But Plimer was dropped by Deepti Sharma for 16 in the tenth over, the first of three dropped catches by the allrounder. Plimer and Bates relied mostly on timing and placement rather than power. Harmanpreet, who missed the first ODI with an injury, introduced spin in the sixth over but that did not affect New Zealand's rhythm.
The breakthrough finally came when Radha took the first of her two brilliant catches in the 16th over. Placed at midwicket, she moved quickly to her right and then dived to have Plimer caught by Deepti for 41. This began a run-out of 12 overs in which New Zealand scored just 34 for the loss of three wickets.
Bates reached fifty at the start of the 19th over but was dropped by Deepti at midwicket off the next ball and tried to take the catch with her right hand rather than with both hands. However, two overs later, a drive from Bates whizzed off debutant Priya Mishra's hands and into the hands of Lauren Down at the non-striker's end.
 |
| India Women vs New Zealand Women, 2nd ODI |
In the 27th over, Radha had Bates caught and bowled for 58, but Devine stood firm at the other end. This then began a phase of play in which New Zealand held their own. In the next 17 overs, they scored 84 runs and lost only one wicket. Devine cut, flicked and pulled for boundaries, but in the 32nd over, Radha again surprised New Zealand with her fielding. Now placed at extra cover, she leapt sharply and had Brooke Halliday caught out for 8. But Devine and Green ensured that India did not let the game slip out of their hands, even after Deepti dropped Green for 6 in the 34th over. Both batters batted brilliantly, with Devine having an LBW decision overturned against her on 36. He reached his fifty off 65 balls in the 41st over to take the match to a solid finish. The last six overs saw New Zealand make 55 runs, with Green driving, rampaging and flicking Thakor for successive boundaries in the 45th over.
Radha had Green caught at long-off for 42 in the next over, but Kerr's boundary and Devine's six took New Zealand to 259. That was enough.
Your Answaer