It was again a clinical performance for the New Zealand women as they clinched the ODI series against India Women 3-0.
The hosts had to chase a target of 280 and they did wobble in the middle-overs after Indian bowlers took quick wickets.
But it was their No. 6 batter, Lauren Down who finished with a score of 64 not out of 52 balls that ensured the hosts won the game.
India were pretty much at the top of things in the 35th over when they had New Zealand reeling at 171 for 6.
But, soon Down and Katey Martin smashed the spinners and the duo added a fine partnership of 76 of 69 balls.
Jhulan Goswami executed well with the ball but couldn’t take more than 3 wickets.
Earlier, India Women had bettered their score of 270 from the previous three games by 9 runs but they still fell 20 runs short to make it a 300.
S Meghana and Shafali Verma put up an excellent batting performance and Meghana was the more aggressive of the two.
However, when the score reached 100, Meghana was out on 61.
Verma fell to a catch by Suzie Bates after scoring a fifty.
The middle-order woes continued for India as Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj couldn’t capitalise further on the momentum that they had gotten from their openers.
India were reeling at 187 for 5 when Deepti Sharma resurrected the team with a hard-fought 69 not out and that’s how the visitors were able to reach 279.
India had also made a number of changes to their side, giving Renuka Singh Thakur her debut. They now have two matches remaining in the series.
This will also complete their training for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup.
