Skipper Mithali Raj’s well-crafted half-century went in vain as India lost the first One-Day International against New Zealand by 62 runs in Queenstown on Saturday. Opting to bowl, New Zealand rode on a splendid Suzie Bates century (106 off 111 balls) to score a challenging 275 and India were all-out for 213 in 49.4 overs.
The 39-year-old Mithali, playing her 221st ODI, continued her impressive form in the format – she has scored seven 50 in the last 11 innings in ODIs – to keep India in the hunt with a 73-ball 59 (6x4). Mithali also joined Charlotte Edwards in making 1,000 runs against four different teams – Australia, England, Sri Lanka and New Zealand – in ODI cricket.
She also became the first Indian to reach 1,000 women’s ODI runs against New Zealand. India had earlier lost the one-off T20I by 18 runs in their series opener on February 9. The second ODI of the five-match series will be played at the same venue
18-run defeat in one-off T20
Batting let India down as they suffered an 18-run defeat to New Zealand in the one-off women’s T20 International earlier. Senior opener and vice captain Smriti Mandhana did not play and her absence was felt badly as India fell short by 18 runs while chasing 156 for a win. Rookie Yastika Bhatia, who opened in place of Mandhana along with young Shafali Verma, did reasonably well with a run-a ball 26 (2x4; 1x6) but India never looked like they could chase down the target against an impressive New Zealand bowling attack. The opening stand was worth 41 runs in 6.3 overs and that was the highest partnership for India. Shafali was not at her best as she contributed just 13 runs from 14 balls with the help of two boundaries. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made 12 from 13 balls, also looked off colour. The visitors could only reach 137 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs.
Earlier, experienced allrounder Deepti Sharma and medium-pacer Pooja Vastrakar scalped two wickets apiece to help India restrict New Zealand to 155 for 5 after Harmanpreet opted to field after winning the toss. Vastrakar was tidy with her bowling as she conceded just 16 runs from
her four overs, while Sharma gave a way 26 runs from her allotted four overs of offspin.
