India Women vs New Zealand Women Match Commentary: New Zealand Women tour of India, 2024

2.19am  And with that, we wrap up the first ODI! The T20 champions have failed to chase in the ODI game. The India Women go 1-0 up in this 3-match ODI series. The second game between these two sides will be played on Sunday, the 27th of October. The first ball will be bowled at 8 am GMT but as you know, our build up begins much sooner so do join us for the same. Until then, take care, and cheers!

2.18am  Deepti Sharma is the Player of the Match. She speaks in her local language. Says that she feels good to contribute with the bat as well as the ball. Adds that she had used this bat in the T20 World Cup as well. Mentions that they knew the score was low and they needed to bowl tight.

2.16am  Smriti Mandhana, the victorious skipper of India Women says it is a good win. Mentions the last couple of weeks have been tough on them so it's nice to get the series lead. Says that they had a strategic huddle talk. Accepts that they were a bit under par after the first innings but also adds that if you don't believe in yourself, nothing will go your way. Adds Saima was terrific, especially with Suzie Bates' wicket. Appreciates her and says she's a special talent and that she has been with the side for a month now. States that whoever batted today, they asked them what is a good length. Goes on to appreciate Deepti Sharma and says she is a superstar and she knows what she is doing.  Ends up by saying that she is delighted to see the others too chipping in while bowling.

2.13am  Sophie Devine, the skipper of New Zealand Women, says that they had done a good job of restricting the Indian side at 227 but they faltered in their batting. Adds that they should have chased that but they will look to leave this behind and bounce back. She says that they will give their best in the next game and try to win that one.

2.05am  Saima Thakor is up for a chat. She says she has been patient to be included in the Indian side. Appreciates her teammates and says it is a great bunch to be around of. About the wicket, she reckons that it was a flat one and a batter's paradise. Says they bowled wonderfully and in unison by executing the plans well. Adds that she was visualizing Suzie Bates' wicket a day before and is delighted to take her wicket. Also mentions that Jemimah Rodrigues has spoken to her a lot before the match, and also she has seen her through the journey. States that she couldn't have asked for more and someone better like Rodrigues to present her the debut cap.

2.05am  The Presentation Ceremony...

2.02am  Earlier in the match, India struggled with the bat, getting all out for 227. The Kerr sisters dominated with the ball, taking seven wickets between them, while Eden Carson contributed two wickets and Suzie Bates added one. India had a shaky start but Shafali Verma and Yastika Bhatia tried to build momentum. The debutant Tejal Hasabnis and Jemimah Rodrigues partnered for 61 runs, but the innings fell apart after their dismissal. Deepti Sharma played well but lacked support from the lower order. The Kiwi spinners effectively restricted runs and took regular wickets to restrict India to a par total.

2.02am  The New Zealand Women's team struggled for momentum in their innings, with Plimmer and Lauren Down providing a solid but brief foundation before both were dismissed. Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green then stabilized the innings, creating a vital partnership. However, once this partnership ended, wickets began to fall rapidly. Melie Kerr attempted to rally in the latter stages but received little support, leading to the team being bowled out for 166 runs and resulting in a 59-run defeat.

2.00am  India Women were excellent with the ball! It was the debutant, Saima Thakor who opened the floodgates for the India Women's side. They all made sure the run rate was in check. While the partnership of Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green proved to be a slight hiccup for them, once the partnership was broken, the momentum completely shifted towards their side. Radha Yadav picked up three wickets and Saima Thakor picked up two. Both were exceptional, while Deepti Sharma and Arundhati Reddy chipped in with one each.

1.56am  THE REIGNING T20 WORLD CHAMPIONS ARE ROCKED BY THE INDIAN WOMEN SIDE! What a display of bowling this was from the Women in Blue. They had a below-par score to defend and boy, they have done a fantastic job here at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad!

OUT! RUN OUT! That is it! India Women win by 59 runs and take the lead in the series by 1-0. Radha Yadav bowls a high full toss outside off, Carson arches a bit and slashes it in the cover-point region. Melie Kerr wants a single and asks Carson to run but the latter gets a bit late to respond to it and eventually obeys her partner. Scoots to the other end in a hurry. Dayalan Hemalatha, at covers, is quick to pick and throws it sharply towards the bowler's end. Yadav fails to collect it, but the ball directly lobs on the stumps with Carson way out of her crease.
Eden Carson run out (Dayalan Hemalatha / Radha Yadav) 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

1.51am  Is that a run out? The TV umpire is summoned in to do the honors. Radha Yadav fails to collect the ball as it pops out of her palms, but to her luck, it breaks into the stumps with the batter way out of the frame. OUT! INDIA WIN!

1.49am  Eden Carson is the last batter in for New Zealand Women.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Radha Yadav comes and strikes again. She gets her third wicket and India Women can now smell a win. Radha Yadav bowls it from around the stumps and provides a lot of revolutions on this one. At just 69 kph, she tosses it up and lands it fuller around the middle and leg channel. Molly Penfold is lured in the flight and is drawn forward to work it across to the leg side but is months early into her shot. Plays all over the wrong line and the ball beats the outside edge before clattering the sticks.
Molly Penfold b R Yadav 1 (4b 0x4 0x6)