Skipper Mithali Raj’s 61st ODI fifty went in vain as hosts New Zealand women defeated India women team by three-wickets to go 2-0 up in the series in Queenstown on Tuesday (February 15). Chasing 271 to win, the White Ferns reached home with one over to spare as Amelia Kerr score a brilliant unbeaten 119 off 135 balls.


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After losing the opening ODI, India posted an impressive 270/6 batting first with half-centuries by skipper Mithali (66 n.o., 81 balls, 3x4) and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh’s brilliant 65 off 64 balls with one six and six fours. Opener Sabbhineni Meghana also chipped in with 50-ball 49 studded with 7 boundaries.



India managed to reduce the hosts to 55/3 in their chase but Amelia Kerr’s fantastic century guided the team to victory. Deepti Sharma was the pick of the bowlers for India, snaring 4 wickets while giving away 52 runs.


Deepti Sharma removed Amy Satterthwaite (0) on the batter’s very first ball and the White Ferns were in a spot of bother at 55/3, still needing 216 runs for the win. Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green then got together at the crease, and the duo revived the innings. At the halfway mark, New Zealand’s score read 135/3 with the hosts needing 136 more runs for the win.


Both batters put on 128 runs for the fourth wicket, and India finally got the breakthrough in the 34th over through Poonam Yadav as she sent Green (52) back to the pavilion. In the end, Kerr managed to take full control and New Zealand registered a three-wicket victory to gain a 2-0 series lead.


Brief Scores: India women 270/6 (Mithali Raj 66 n.o., Richa Ghosh 65; Sophie Devine 2/42) lost to New Zealand women 273/7 in 49 overs (Amelia Kerr 119 n.o., Maddy Green 52; Deepti Sharma 4/52)