The New Zealand women’s cricket team achieved the second-highest successful chase in ODI history as they won the third match against India by three wickets to take an unassailable 3-0 lead.
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Mithali Raj’s India women’s cricket team was on the cusp of breaking their winless run in New Zealand. They had notched up 279 thanks to Sabbhineni Meghana and Deepti Sharma’s fifties. Amelia Kerr, who had hit a century in the previous ODI, hit 69 but she could not repeat her heroics. But, Lauren Down and Katey Martin shared a stand of 76 for the seventh wicket. Down then hit 64 and sealed the game with a six as New Zealand achieved the second-highest run-chase in the history of women’s cricket. The three-wicket win not only gave New Zealand an unassailable 3-0 lead, but it was their first series win in two-and-a-half years.
New Zealand chose to bowl but they were blown away by the exploits of Meghana and Shafali Verma. Meghana smashed two fours off Lea Tahuhu while Shafali also targeted New Zealand’s most experienced bowler. She upped the aggression by blasting two fours and a six off Hannah Rowe. Meghana hit another six and Verma complimented her well as New Zealand wilted.
Read – Mithali Raj Creates History with Record Knock vs New Zealand
Meghana was dropped on 39 by Hannah Rowe off Devine. The batter notched up her maiden fifty by hammering four boundaries in one over bowled by Sophie Devine. New Zealand’s fielding remained poor as Katey Martin dropped Verma on 32. But, Rosemary Mair broke the 100-run stand when she dismissed Meghana for 61.
Verma carried on the onslaught as he found the boundary at will. She notched up her fifty but Amelia Kerr sent back Verma for 51. Mithali Raj and Yastika Bhatia looked to stitch a solid stand but Mair got her second wicket by dismissing Bhatia for 19. New Zealand gained the upper-hand when Harmanpreet Kaur was run-out for 13. With Harmanpreet’s poor run continuing, India’s momentum slipped.
Deepti Sharma tried to up the ante with a six but India lost Mithali Raj, with Rowe taking her wicket for 23. Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana took India past 200 but Rana was taken by Devine for 11. New Zealand lost Leah Tahuhu after she pulled her hamstring in the 29th over while fielding and she could not bowl. Deepti Sharma aggressively found the boundaries but India lost wickets at the other end. Deepti Sharma notched up her fifty but India did not complete their quota of 50 overs as they were bowled out for 279 in 49.3 overs.
Chasing 280, New Zealand made a horror start with Jhulan Goswami getting rid of Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates in two overs. But, India let the advantage slip slightly with Deepti Sharma dropping Amy Satterthwaite on 0 off Goswami. Satterthwaite and Kerr then got going with a couple of boundaries. Satterthwaite was again dropped, this time by Meghana off Ekta Bisht as New Zealand made good progress.
Kerr and Satterthwaite rotated the strike and hit boundaries to ensure the pressure did not get to them. Satterthwaite notched up her fifty and the partnership went past 100. But, Goswami came back and removed Satterthwaite to put India back in the contest. Amelia Kerr reached her fifty but Sneh Rana dealt a body blow for the White Ferns as she dismissed New Zealand’s star batter for 69.
Lauren Down and Maddy Green tried to steady the ship but Renuka Singh got her first wicket by dismissing Green for 24. When Bisht sent back Tahuhu, India was on top.
Down was joined by Katey Martin and the duo kept New Zealand in the game. Bisht conceded a six off Down while Deepti Sharma gave away two boundaries. Martin and Down kept hitting the boundaries regularly as New Zealand came closer. But, Deepti Sharma got the wicket of Katey Martin for 35 as the game see-sawed.
Down hit her fifty and she got crucial support from Frances Mackay. In the 49th over, Down and Mackey hit boundaries off Jhulan as 12 runs came off the over. That over sealed the game for New Zealand as Down closed the game in style with a six off Deepti Sharma. With the series now lost, India will be aiming to win the remaining matches and build momentum for the World Cup.
