Indian women suffer 3-wicket defeat to New Zealand in third ODI, lose series
Mithali Raj-led Indian women’s team lost the third ODI 3 wickets to New Zealand on Friday. New Zealand women completed the second-highest successful run chase in the hory of ODI as India yet again failed to defend an imposing total of 279.
India had lost the first two ODIs 62 runs and three wickets, respectively, after suffering a 18-run defeat in the lone T20I.
It was Jhulan Goswami yet again who led the bowling pack, after sitting out of the second ODI. She accounted for the three New Zealand wickets at the top to rock the home side’s run chase of 280. India seemed to be cruising to their first win of the tour when they reduced New Zealand to 171 for 6 in the 35th over but in the end they could not do so as Lauren Down (65 not out) took the hosts home with five balls to spare.
Jhulan Goswami just doing Jhulan Goswami things as she dismisses both the NZ openers!😍#NZvIND #LiveCricketOnPrime pic.twitter.com/LtufE12P5O
— amazon prime video IN (@PrimeVideoIN) February 18, 2022
After New Zealand won the toss, they invited India to bat first. Young openers Meghana (61) and Verma (51) gave India a flying start with a stand of 100 in 13 overs, but the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals later to be all out for 279 in 49.3 overs.
New Zealand have sealed the series with an unassailable 3-0 lead 🙌
They win three wickets and complete the second-highest successful chase (280) in Women’s ODI hory 👏#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/sF8OGY3DeR
— ICC (@ICC) February 18, 2022
In reply, New Zealand did not have a good start as they suffered two early blows. But then, Amy and Amelia Karr built a 103 runs partnership in the middle and helped their team to win the game. For the second game in a row, the Indian bowling lacked teeth to trouble the opposition batters.
After the match, Mithali Raj said, “We didn’t get the partnerships we wanted in the middle order, but Deepti got us to 280. Every game the batting unit has been doing well. It goes down the wire, but there are areas we need to improve in in the field.”
Star opener Smriti Mandhana once again missed the match — her fourth game of the tour, including the lone T20I — as she came out of quarantine on Tuesday.
With PTI inputs
