India were thoroughly outplayed by New Zealand, led by captain Sophie Devine’s exceptional batting and tactical brilliance, suffering a 58-run defeat in a one-sided Women’s T20 World Cup match on Friday. The victory also ended the 'White Ferns' 10-match losing streak, marking their biggest win against India in T20Is.
On a challenging pitch for batting, Devine's power-packed unbeaten 57 off 36 balls propelled New Zealand to an imposing 160/4 in 20 overs. The 35-year-old Kiwi legend then skillfully marshaled her bowlers, using slow bowlers to choke the Indian batters before her seamers took pace off the ball, restricting India to a paltry 102 in 19 overs.
The key difference between the two sides was raw power, with Devine and her opening partners Suzie Bates (27 off 24) and Georgia Plimmer (34 off 23) showcasing the ability to clear boundaries on a difficult pitch. In contrast, India’s batters struggled to even clear the 30-yard circle, with power hitters like Shafali Verma (2), Smriti Mandhana (12), and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (15) falling cheaply during the Powerplay.
The game was effectively decided in the Powerplay itself, as India lost three of their most important batters for just 43 runs. New Zealand, on the other hand, made a strong start with a 55-run opening stand in the first six overs, setting a solid foundation.
Devine’s astute captaincy was on display throughout the match. Opening with left-arm spinner Eden Carson (2/34), she immediately put pressure on India by dismissing Shafali Verma early. The Indian batter, uncomfortable with deliveries lacking pace, offered a simple return catch to the bowler, setting the tone for the rest of the innings.
Mandhana, India's best and most consistent batter over the past few years, also tried to get going and was holed out in the deep while seamer Rosemary Mair (4/19 in 4 overs) bowled one that swung in to hit Harmanpreet on the pads.
Such was the slowness that even Lea Tahuhu (3/15 in 4 overs) had Jemimah Rodrigues trying to chip it over mid-on but the stroke lacked power and Richa Ghosh chipped one to mid-off as the Indian challenge fizzled out in a jiffy.
Earlier, on a sticky track where stroke-making was difficult, Devine muscled her way with seven boundaries as most Indian bowlers sans Deepti Sharma (0/45 in 4 overs) used the tackiness of the track to good effect for the better part of the innings.
Devine, who dropped herself in the batting order, displayed excellent footwork to dismantle the length bowled by Indian bowlers with the standout shot being a bent on knee cover-drive off Shreyanka Patil to complete her fifty.
One thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was poor ground fielding from India save Rodrigues, who was brilliant as usual in the deep.
Veteran Bates and young Plimmer rode their luck and some shoddy fielding from India to race to 55 at the end of the Powerplay.
However once leg-spinner Asha Sobhana (1/22 in 4 overs) started operating just after Powerplay, she immediately put brakes but once Devine started chancing her arms at the death, Indian bowlers were left with little option.
Inputs from PTI