The fourth match of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, held at the International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, saw New Zealand (NZ-W) outplay India (IND-W) with a commanding 58-run victory. The match, led by Sophie Devine’s brilliant leadership for New Zealand, was a major setback for India as they struggled to find momentum throughout the game.
New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first, posting an impressive total of 160 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Key contributions from New Zealand’s batters helped build a solid foundation. Despite early breakthroughs, Team India could not keep up the pressure, allowing the Kiwi team to set a challenging target.
India’s chase, however, did not go according to plan. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team found themselves in deep trouble as none of the Indian batters were able to cross the 20-run mark. India’s total collapsed to 102 runs in 19 overs, with the team losing wickets at regular intervals. New Zealand’s bowling attack, led by Rosemary Mayer and Lee Tahuhu, was ruthless. Mayer’s bowling spell was particularly impressive, as she took 4 wickets for just 19 runs in her 4-over spell, while Tahuhu chipped in with 3 crucial wickets.
For India, it was a day to forget. Deepti Sharma (13), Pooja Vastrakar (8), and Arundhati Reddy (1) were among the few who managed to reach double digits, but none could build a meaningful partnership to challenge the New Zealand total. India’s batting line-up failed to rise to the occasion, and as a result, they were all out for a meager 102 in 19 overs.
This defeat puts India in a difficult position. In the group stage of the T20 World Cup, each team must play 4 matches. After this loss, India must now win at least 3 out of their remaining 3 matches to keep their hopes alive of reaching the semi-finals. A second defeat could potentially knock the Indian team out of the tournament, making their upcoming matches must-win situations.
New Zealand, on the other hand, has started their campaign on a positive note, earning a well-deserved victory and taking early momentum in the tournament. With excellent performances in all departments of the game, the Kiwis are now considered strong contenders for the semi-finals.
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