India’s Harmanpreet Kaur during practice session ahead of the 2st ODI between India and New Zealand women’s Cricket Match at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Gujarat on October 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI
Poor White Ferns.
They recorded one of the greatest moments in New Zealand’s cricket history last Sunday, lifting the T20 World Cup, but they could not go back home to the cool air of New Zealand to celebrate: instead, here they are in the heat of western India, licking their wounds after suffering a crushing defeat in the opening ODI.
Sophie Devine’s women must be desperate to bounce back in the second ODI on Sunday.
They have to win in order to keep the three-match series alive, but more importantly, they have to score points on the ICC Women’s Championship table, which decides the teams for next year’s World Cup.
As the host, India has no worries of qualification. But the Women in Blue should like to win the series against the T20 World Cup winner with a game to spare. They, of course, looked the better side in the first game, despite failing to bat through the 50 overs on a good track. That none of their batters could even reach fifty despite getting stars could be a cause for concern.
The likes of Shafali Verma, D. Hemalatha and Smriti Mandhana, the stand-in captain for the injured Harmanpreet Kaur – she trained on Friday, though — may not have enjoyed watching the highlights of the Indian innings. But Tejal Hasabnis would. The 27-year-old debutant played sensibly, and with confidence, to top-score, after coming at 91 for four. Saima Thakor also had an excellent debut, picking up two wickets. She was part of what was an excellent Indian attack, which was well served by Deepti Sharma’s intelligent variations of pace and Radha Yadav’s flight.
The visiting batters need to come up with a better show against the Indian bowlers. Some of them had looked good, as they reached 20s or 30s, but nobody touched 40.
There is, however, plenty of talent and experience in New Zealand’s batting, in the form of skipper Devine, Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer and Brooke Halliday.
But, the White Ferns have been dealt a heavy blow: Amelia Kerr, the leg-spinning all-rounder who was the player of the final and of the tournament at the T20 World Cup, is flying home on Sunday after suffering a grade one quadriceps tear. She was their best bowler in the opening game.
Poor White Ferns, indeed.
Published – October 27, 2024 12:03 pm IST
