India women’s team loses one-off T20I to NZ by 18 runs

A below-par batting performance resulted in an 18-run defeat for India against New Zealand in the one-off women’s T20I here on Wednesday.

In reply to New Zealand’s first-innings total of 155 for five, India, which badly missed opener Smriti Mandhana who was unavailable for the match, could muster only 137 for eight. Yastika Bhatia, who opened in the absence of Mandhana, scored a run-a-ball 26, an innings which included two fours and a maximum.

Yastika and Shafali Verma (13) stitched 41 runs for the opening wicket, which was India’s highest partnership in the chase. Sabbhineni Meghana (37 off 30 balls, 6 fours) was India’s top-scorer and shared a 34-run alliance with Richa Ghosh (12) for the fourth wicket.

When Meghana was dismissed, India needed 55 runs off 5.1 overs, which proved too many for the lower-order. Pacer Jess Kerr (2/20), leg-spinner Amelia Kerr (2/25) and left-armer Hayley Jensen (2/25) picked up two wickets apiece for the home team. Earlier, medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar (2/16) and off-spinner Deepti Sharma (2/26) helped India restrict New Zealand to 155 for five after Harmanpreet Kaur opted to field.

Suzie Bates (36 off 34 balls, 2 fours) and skipper Sophie Devine (31 off 23 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) combined for a 60-run first-wicket stand.

Trio still in quarantine

Meanwhile, Mandhana as well as pacers Meghana Singh and Renuka Singh missed the one-off match as they are in extended quarantine in Christchurch. The trio is still in Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ), but it is not clear as to why the stay has been extended. The rest of the India team had undergone a 10-day MIQ in Christchurch upon arrival.