Team India, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, could not clear its first test in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. India has started the campaign with a defeat against New Zealand. New Zealand won by 58 runs on Dubai ground. New Zealand scored 160/4 after winning the toss. In reply, India’s innings was reduced to 102 runs in 19 overs. Let us tell you what were the important reasons for the defeat of Harmanpreet Brigade?
Deepti Sharma beaten
Indian bowlers disappointed a lot. Except Renuka Singh (2 wickets for 27 runs in four overs), no one was able to leave much impact. Star all-rounder Deepti Sharma was completely ineffective. He neither showed any magic with the ball nor with the bat. He was beaten the most. Deepti gave away 45 runs in four overs, which cost India dearly. He did not get any wicket. Only 13 runs came from his bat in 18 balls.
Richa Ghosh dropped the catch
Suzie Bates (27) and Georgia Plimmer (34) gave a great start to New Zealand. Both of them made a strong partnership of 67 runs for the first wicket. Arundhati Reddy almost gave India success in the powerplay but wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh took an easy catch of Bates. Had Bates been out on the fourth ball of the sixth over, the Indian team might have been successful in creating pressure. New Zealand’s score was then less than 50.
India’s top order collapses
India’s top order collapsed while chasing the target. New Zealand bowlers bowled tightly from the beginning. Opener Shafali Verma (2 in 4 balls) returned to the pavilion in the second over and Smriti Mandhana (12 in 13 balls) returned to the pavilion in the fifth over. Captain Harmanpreet (15 in 14 balls), who came at number three, also looked colorless. India had high expectations from Jemimah Rodrigues but she could only score 13 runs after facing 11 balls.
3 kiwis not cut
Three Kiwi players troubled the Indian team the most. New Zealand captain Sophie Devine, bowlers Rosemary Mair and Lee Tahuhu did not get the cut for India. Devine played an unbeaten inning of 57 runs in 36 balls with the help of 7 fours and took New Zealand to a strong score. He made a partnership of 46 runs with Brook Halliday (16) for the fourth wicket. On the other hand, Mair spent just 19 runs in the four over spell and took four wickets. Tahuhu gave 15 runs and took three wickets.
