India registered an easy 59-run win in the first ODI

Amelia Kerr attempted to hold back with an undefeated 23-ball 25, but India’s disciplined bowling held New Zealand to 168 as they attempted to chase an unsatisfactory 227 in Thursday’s first ODI in Ahmedabad. On his debut, seamer Saima Thakor (2/26) dismissed Brooke Halliday and the seasoned Suzie Bates, while Radha Yadav took three crucial wickets (3/35) to hasten New Zealand’s demise and give India a resounding 59-run victory.

Although New Zealand got off to a strong start, they were unable to build on it due to a lack of partnerships. By the time they reached 79, they had lost three wickets, and skipper Sophie Devine was bizarrely dismissed for failing to drag her feet behind the crease when Deepti Sharma tossed the ball to wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia.

New Zealand was headed for an easy victory until Halliday and Maddy Green batted, amassing 49 runs for the fifth wicket. However, their effort was ruined by two wickets in the 30th over as India continued to chip away at their batting, making it too difficult for Kerr, who has been dealing with injury since New Zealand’s successful T20 World Cup campaign last week. India needed a breakthrough, and Halliday’s wicket came when Thakor hung onto a return catch.

Isabella Gaze asked for one fresh batter, but Green delayed to get off to her, and three balls later, she suffered a brain fog. Green was run out by at least a few yards when Smriti Mandhana saw an opening and pounced on the ball at mid-on and delivered it to the batter’s end. As Kerr began analyzing the spaces and launched a late comeback, Gaze attempted to retain one end. But when New Zealand crumbled under the strain, India claimed the last two wickets in only five balls.

The Ahmedabad pitch’s stop-start conditions and India’s bowling may have given them a 1-0 lead, but their batting strategy still raises serious questions. When they decided to bat, they encountered the Kerr sisters, medium pacer Jess (3/49) and Amelia (4/42) who stopped India from scoring a high total. In the third over, Smriti Mandhana, who had taken the lead after Harmanpreet Kaur was rested because of a niggle, was removed.

However, every other batter received a start, with the exception of her and Dayalan Hemalatha. Before Yastika Bhatia scored 37, Shafali Verma blasted to 33 off of 22 balls. Jemimah Rodrigues struck a brisk 35, Tejal Hasabnis, who was also making her debut, impressed with 42, and Deepti Sharma scored 41. However, India was unable to secure another 50-run partnership, with the exception of Rodrigues and Hasbnis’ 61-run fifth-wicket partnership.