India will look to build a winning run at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 when they face hosts New Zealand in their second match of the tournament at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Thursday, March 10.
India are heading into the contest on the back of a dominant victory over Pakistan in their tournament opener. India overcame an ordinary top-order batting display to outclass Pakistan women on Sunday but a stiff test awaits them as the White Ferns will be keen on avoiding any more slip-ups after their tournament-opening defeat to the West Indies.
The pitch at Hamilton’s Seddon Park has been traditionally known as a batting belter and Mithali Raj and her team would like to put up a better show against Sophie Devine’s side, who hammered India 4-1 in a recently-concluded ODI series in New Zealand.
India managed to win the final ODI, a dead rubber against New Zealand, and stitch a 4-match winning run but they were comprehensively outplayed by the White Ferns in the first 5 matches, including a one-off T20i, on their tour.
In fact, the Indians have already learnt a harsh lesson in the preceding ODI series where they couldn’t even defend totals of 270 and 280.
India will be hoping opener Shafali Verma returns to form as the top-order has lacked firepower despite Smriti Mandhana getting a move on in the recent past. In the last seven games, including one practice match, there was only one fifty and six low scores from her.
“Shafali has already proved herself. She is a very exciting cricketer. But these things happen with every cricketer,” senor pacer Jhulan Goswami said on the eve of the game against New Zealand.
“I am sure she is working hard really well in the nets, she is batting well in the nets; she is hitting the ball really well.
“She is just one big knock away and if she gets an opportunity, I am sure she is going to do well,” she added.
CAN MITHALI AND HARMANPREET STEP UP?
Even skipper Mithali got stuck against Pakistan while Harmanpreet Kaur, save for one-half century in the inconsequential dead rubber against New Zealand, has been off the boil.
India’s problems have been often compounded by their inability to rotate the strike in the middle overs leaving way too much for the slog overs where often they haven’t had power hitters.
India’s biggest strength is their all-rounders — Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Puja Vastrakar, who can convert a poor show into a brilliant final outcome.
However, against New Zealand, who have Devine, Suzie Bates, Amy Satterthwaite and Amelia Kerr in their ranks, it won’t be an easy job.
Goswami, who has been in terrific form over the past year, needs support from the other end with a steady show from the likes of Meghna Singh and Vastrakar.
However, it will all boil down to how well the spinners — Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Rana and Deepti bowl against the New Zealanders. A good result will erase the nightmare of the recent ODI series and boost India’s confidence for the rest of the tournament.
IND vs NZ, WOMEN’S WORLD CUP SQUADS
India: Mithali Raj (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Rich Ghosh (wk), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Jhulan Goswami, Renuka Singh.
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite (vc), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu. (With PTI Inputs)