NEW DELHI: The Indian women’s cricket team faced a setback as skipper Sophie Devine led New Zealand to a series-levelling victory with a 76-run win in the second ODI in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, Devine scored 79 off 86 balls, featuring seven fours and a six. She formed a crucial fifth-wicket partnership with Maddy Green, who contributed 42 off 41 balls, to help New Zealand amass 259 for nine.
Devine also shone with the ball, claiming 3/27 as New Zealand bowled India out for 183, with No. 9 batter Radha Yadav top-scoring with a gritty 48.
Lea Tahuhu also took three wickets for New Zealand, finishing with figures of 3/42. Jess Kerr (2/49) and Eden Carson (2/32) chipped in with essential wickets.
Chasing 260, India struggled at the outset, quickly falling to 26 for 3 within the first five overs. They were further reduced to 102 for 7 in the 26th over. Radha Yadav and Saima Thakor (29) provided some resistance, putting together a 70-run stand for the ninth wicket.
Kerr broke this partnership by dismissing Thakor, and India were all out in 47.1 overs, enabling New Zealand to tie the series at 1-1.
Smriti Mandhana’s rough patch continued as she got out after just two balls, dismissed by Tahuhu. Fellow opener Shafali Verma scored 11 with two boundaries before being adjudged LBW by Kerr. Yastika Bhatia also fell early, becoming Tahuhu’s second victim, leaving India’s top order in disarray.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, back from a minor injury, scored 24 runs and teamed up with Jemimah Rodrigues (17) to add 38 runs before both were dismissed.
Tejal Hasabnis (15) and Deepti Sharma (15) couldn’t capitalize on their starts, leaving India in a precarious position at 102 for 7 in the 26th over.
Earlier, New Zealand started strong, with openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer adding 87 runs in under 16 overs. Bates scored 58 off 70 balls while Plimmer contributed 41 off 50.
India managed to fight back by taking three quick wickets. Radha Yadav also pulled off a remarkable catch, running backward to give leg-spinner Priya Mishra her maiden international wicket.
Yadav played a key role in three of the first four New Zealand wickets, seeming to tilt the game back towards India when Brooke Halliday was walking back to the pavilion.
Then Devine stepped in and, with the support of Green, helped New Zealand regain control. Maddy Green’s innings included five boundaries, bolstering the visitors who had lost the first ODI of the three-match series.
Radha Yadav finished with four wickets, but conceded 69 runs in her 10 overs, while off-spinner Deepti Sharma ended with figures of 2/30.