DUBAI: Sophie Devine played a quick-fire 57-run knock, while Rosemary Mair claimed four wickets to propel New Zealand to a thumping 58-run victory over India in the fourth match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 here on Friday.
Set to chase 161, India were bundled for a meagre 102 in 19 overs with captain Harmanpreet Kaur top-scoring with 15.
India failed to get a desired start to their chase as they slipped to 28-2 in 4.4 overs with both openers falling prey to Eden Carson.
Harmanpreet Kaur took 14 balls to score 15 runs before she became Rosemary Mair’s first wicket.
Lea Tahuhu then bowled a brilliant spell taking two wickets in consecutive overs to leave India reeling at 70-5 in 11 overs.
With 91 required from nine overs, Indian batters crumbled under the pressure of the required run-rate and bundled for 102 in 19 overs. The last five wickets fell for only 32 runs.
Rosemary Mair took the last two wickets in the same over to end the Indian innings and complete her four-wicket haul. Meanwhile, Lea Tahuhu bagged three wickets.
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New Zealand opted to bat first after winning the toss and got off to a flying start courtesy of a 67-run opening stand between Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer in 7.4 overs.
However, the White Ferns faced a double setback as both opening batters departed in a span of four balls.
Bates fell prey to Arundhati Reddy after scoring 27 off 24, while Plimmer scored a quick 34 from 23 balls, laced with three boundaries and one six before Asha Sobhana dismissed her.
Amelia Kerr then played a scratchy innings of 13 runs from 22 balls during a 33-run stand for the third wicket with captain Sophie Devine.
Brooke Halliday (16) joined Devine after Kerr’s dismissal and together they added 46 runs from 26 balls for the fourth wicket to lift the team’s total to 145 before Renuka Singh removed the former.
Devine continued her domination and helped New Zealand post a mammoth 160-4 in their allocated 20 overs. She scored an unbeaten 57 off 26 with the help of seven boundaries.
For India, Renuka Singh claimed two tickets, while Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana bagged one each.
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