India starts preparations with big win over NZ
Upsets are considered a rarity in the women's game. On paper, there was no doubt that New Zealand was the favourite going into the warm-up fixture against India at the Bandra Kurla Complex grounds on Monday (29 January).
But it was India who proved the game is contested in the middle and not on paper, by securing an emphatic eight-wicket win with 45 balls to spare.
The win was set up by the bowlers, who came up with a top-notch display to bowl New Zealand out for just 201 in 47.5 overs after Mithali Raj opted to bowl on a hazy morning, while the cornerstone to India's chase was a stroke-filled 119-run opening stand between Poonam Raut (69) and Thirush Kamini (43).
Play was delayed by 30 minutes due to a damp outfield, but when the match finally started, the Indian bowlers, led by Jhulan Goswami, justified Raj's decision. Goswami drew first blood in the seventh over when she clean bowled Natalie Dood (7), who played down the wrong line to lose her leg stump. Suzie Bates, the New Zealand captain, looked in ominous form, smashing seven fours in her short stay for 27 runs, but Amita Sharma had the last laugh as New Zealand slipped to 35 for two in eight overs. And when Amy Satterthwaite (2) was bowled, trying to play across the line to a full delivery, New Zealand was staring down the barrel at 44 for three in 11 overs.
Sara McGlashan (56) and Frances MacKay (69) came up with the rescue act. The duo shared a vital 88-run stand for the fourth wicket to restore normalcy for New Zealand, raising hopes of a total close to 240. But McGlashan fell to the guile of Ekta Bisht, the left-arm spinner, who caught one off her own bowling to thwart New Zealand's progress.
MacKay kept the innings going even as the lower middle order fell in a heap, with Goswami's accuracy accounting for two of the wickets. MacKay even exhibited some cheekiness with a couple of fine reverse sweeps, but fell in the quest to accelerate towards the end. Once she fell with the score on 188, it was just a formality for India to finish off the innings.
Goswami lived up to her reputation of being India's strike bowler by picking up three wickets, while Bisht and Gouher Sultana, the left-arm spin twins, picked up four wickets between them after weaving a web around New Zealand.
India was never really challenged when it came out to bat. Raut's knock was punctuated with 12 fours. She was authoritative, quick on her feet and also a touch lucky. Dropped in the very first over at first slip off Lea Tahuhu, the right-arm pacer, she made New Zealand pay with a mixture of some controlled aggression and deft touches. Not afraid to take the odd risk, she even played a couple of scoops and fine paddles, taking the pressure considerably off Kamini, who was making a comeback to the Indian team after a gap of nearly three years.
Kamini, a stylish left-handed opener, played her role to perfection; initially supporting Raut by rotating the strike before opening up with some wristy strokes, which forced Bates to quickly go back on the defensive as the runs started flowing.
India was on autopilot at 119 for no loss in the 27th over, when turbulence struck in the form of Tahuhu. Raut played back to a rising delivery as the ball rolled back on to the stumps to give New Zealand some relief. Relief turned to hope four balls later when Kamini played on while going for an expansive cut, as India suffered a hiccup at 119 for two.
Raj, who finished unbeaten on 36, showed why she is ranked No. 1 in the ODI format, absorbing all hint of pressure in the company of Harmanpreet Kaur, the vice-captain. Harmanpreet was the more aggressive of the two as she smashed four boundaries and two sixes to remain unbeaten on 46 as India romped home in style.
India next takes on Australia in the second and final warm-up fixture at Brabourne Stadium on Tuesday, while New Zealand will hope the loss to India was just a one-off and look to build some momentum against England, the defending champion, in what would be an interesting clash at the Bandra Kurla Complex grounds.