A completely out of sorts India were trumped by opposition skipper Sophie Devine's flamboyant batting and tactical astuteness as New Zealand powered to 58-run win in a lopsided Women's T20 World Cup game in Dubai on Friday.
The 'White Ferns' also put an end to their 10-match losing streak with their biggest win against India in T20Is.
On a pitch which was extremely difficult for batting, Devine's power-packed unbeaten 57 off 36 balls took New Zealand to an above-par 160 for 4 in 20 overs.
I'm just incredibly proud of this group. To put together such a comprehensive performance is something I'm proud of. We've been targetting this game for a long time now. We take inspiration from the Black Caps as well. If you look at our powerplay, we've been getting some terrific starts. That's what we wanted today - to put the pressure on the bowlers. We spoke about 150 being par. Pleased to get 10 runs above that. Probably know them too well having played them recently. But it's always a big challenge playing Australia.
We didn't play our best cricket today. Going forward we have to think what areas we have to improve. Every game now is important and we have to play our best cricket. We created chances, it's not like that we didn't create. They played better cricket than us, no doubt about that. This is such a high stage where you can't make these mistakes. We have chased 160-170 many times. But on that pitch .. it was 10-15 runs too many. At one stage, the way they started, I was thinking it would be 180. This wasn't the start we were expecting (in this tournament).
All-round New Zealand crush India by 58 runs in Group A game!
That's it! Rosemary Mair takes two-in-two as Renuka Thakur gets out for a golden duck. NEW ZEALAND WIN! THEY CRUSH INDIA BY 58 RUNS in Dubai.
Chasing 161 for victory, India have been bundled out for a lowly 102 in 19 overs.
A perfect all-round show fro the Kiwis as they hand favourites India a heavy defeat.
After Sophie Devine's unbeaten 57 lifted the Kiwis to a solid 160, the bowlers fired in unison, keeping India in check throughout their chase.
While Mair picked up 4, Lea Tahuhu grabbed three wickets for New Zealand. Eden Carson also picked up a couple of wickets.
India vs New Zealand Live Score: India 9 down!
OUT! Rosemary Mair bags her third as Shreyanka Patil walks back for 7. Substitute fielder Molly Penfold takes and easy catch as New Zealand close in on a big win.
IND vs NZ Live Score: Final 18 balls to go!
0 0 1 1 1 0 - Lea Tahuhu bowls a perfect three-run final over to finish with superb figures of 4-0-15-3. With the game already out of hands, India batters will have to now ensure that their NRR doesn't get too damaged by this defeat. They will still have to look to score runs in these final 3 overs and lessen the margin of defeat. Amelia Kerr to bowl the 18th over for the Kiwis. INDW 84/8 in 17 overs
Women's T20 World Cup Live Score: OUT! Bowled!
Amelia Kerr produces a ripper as the ball goes straight through Pooja Vastrakar's defences. A wrong-un from Kerr and it goes right through the gate. The ball clips the top of off as Kerr bags her first wicket of the evening. Pooja walks back for 8. INDW 90/8 in 15.3 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Another one bites the dust
OUT! Lea Tahuhu grabs her third as India's last hope Deepti Sharma perishes for 13. Looking to go over extra-cover, Deepti cleared her front leg and tried to loft the ball up. She insted ends up slicing it straight into the hands of Sophie Devine. New Zealand closing in on a big win in Dubai. INDW 88/7 in 14.4 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Required rate is now 12.5 RPO for India!
FOUR! Pooja Vastrakar hits a cracking boundary through the off side on the final ball of the Eden Carson last over. India will need a lot more of those if they are to get back into his chase. Carson finishes with figures of 4-0-34-2. India need another 75 runs off final 36 balls. INDW 86/6 in 14 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Another soft dismissal!
OUT! New Zealand continue to dominate the India batters. Arundhati Reddy now walks back after yet another soft dismissal. Rosemary Mair bags her second as Arundhati chips the ball straight up. Suzie Bates grabs an easy catch at extra covers as Arundhati walks back for 1. INDW 75/6 in 12.2 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Now Richa departs!
OUT! India innings falling apart like a pack of cards in Dubai. They are now 5 down with just 70 on the board. Richa Ghosh is the latest to walk back to the pavilion as Lea Tahuhu strikes on the final ball of her second over. Looking to clip the ball on the on side, Ghosh backed away and got the leading edge. As the ball ballooned up straight, Devine completed an easy catch. INDW 70/5 in 10.6 overs
At halfway mark | India Women 63/4 | Run rate - 6.3
Deepti Sharma 3*
Richa Ghosh 7*
Partnership: 8*(7)
Eden Carson 2/25
Lea Tahuhu 1/3
India need another 98 runs off 84 balls at 9.8 RPO
India vs New Zealand Live Score: India four down now!
OUT! India's slide continues in this 161 chase as Jemimah Rodrigues now walks back for just 13. India in a whole lot of trouble. A length ball from Lea Tahuhu around off and Rodrigues ends up chipping it to Maddy Green at mid-on. The Kiwi on top of India at the moment.
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India vs New Zealand Live Score: Rodrigues, Ghosh key for India in chase
1 1 2 1 1 1 - As Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh look to steady the India chase, both have added 10 off 14 balls together. Amelia Kerr starts off with a decent seven-run first over. Both Rodrigues and Ghosh looking to rotate strike and keep the scoreboard moving at the moment. INDW 52/3 in 8 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Kiwis keep it tight
0 0 0 1 1 0 - A tight two-run third over from Jess Kerr straight after powerplay as New Zealand keep things really tight with the ball. Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh looking to build a much-needed partnership after triple blow in Powerplay. INDW 45/3 7 overs
End of Powerplay | India Women 43/3 | Run rate - 7.17
Jemimah Rodrigues 6*
Richa Ghosh 1*
Eden Carson 2/17
Rosemary Mair 1/13
India need another 118 runs off 84 balls at 8.43 RPO
IND vs NZ Live Score: Harman blow for India now!
OUT! A really poor show from India's top-order as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur now perishes for 15. India are now three down inside powerplay in this 161 chase with the top three back in the dressing room. Looking to hit Rosemary Mair on the on side, Harman shuffled across but failed to judge the in-swinging delivery. Gets trapped in front as the on-field umpire raised his finger. Harman sent in upstairs but the decision from the on-field umpire stays. INDW 42/3 in 5.4 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Top shot from Harman
FOUR! A cracking hit from India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur as she finds her second boundary. Rosemary Mair bowls length outside off and Harman ease it through the cover-point region. Places it to perfection as the ball races to the fence. INDW 39/2 in 5.2 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Big blow for India!
OUT! Eden Carson strikes again! She bags her second wicket. This time the Kiwi spinner gets rid of the other India opener Smriti Mandhana. Looking to take on Carson, Mandhana charged forward to hit the ball down the ground. Fails to middle the ball as Maddy Green takes a good catch at long-off. Mandhana departs for 12. INDW 28/2 in 4.4 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Harman gets going!
FOUR! A cracking hit from Harmanpreet Kaur as she fires her first boundary. Eden Carson bowls a tossed up delivery at stumps and Harman slog sweeps it to the deep backward square leg fence. Beautiful wrist from Harman as she pierces the gap to perfection on the on side. INDW 27/1 in 4.1 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Kerr keeps it tight
1 1 0 0 0 0 - After leaking 11 runs in her first over, Jess Kerr changes the ends and bowls a tight two-run second over. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur watchful at the moment and looking to build a partnership after early Shafali Verma blow. INDW 21/1 in 4 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Deft touch!
FOUR! Smriti Mandhana ends Rosemary Mair first over with a boundary to third-man. After 5 straight dot balls, Mair bowls the final ball up. Mandhana read the length well and squeezed it past between the keeper and short-third fielder. Change of ends for Jess Kerr now! INDW 19/1 in 3 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Excellent start from Carson
W 1 1 0 0 2 - Eden Carson is spot on in her first over. Just 4 runs came off it and a crucial wicket of Shafali Verma. Bowling change now at the other end for the Kiwis as Rosemary Mair replaces Jess Kerr. INDW 15/1 in 2 overs
Women's T20 World Cup Live Score: Early jolt for India!
OUT! What a start from Eden Carson! She strikes first-ball into her spell. A soft dismissal! A length ball from Carson around off and Shafali Verma was expecting it to turn. It doesn't as the ball takes the leading edge of Shafali's bat. Balloons straight into the hands of Carson. Shafali walks back for 2. INDW 11/1 in 1.1 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Carson partners up with Kerr
4 1 Wd B2 1 1 1 - Jess Kerr starts off with an expensive 11-run first over that had a boundary in it. Both the India openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana are off the mark in this 161 chase. Eden Carson to share the new ball with Kerr from the other end for New Zealand. IND 11/0 in 1 over
Women's T20 World Cup Live Score: A boundary first-ball!
FOUR! Smriti Mandhana and India are underway in 161 chase with a boundary on the leg side first-ball. A juicy half-volley at stumps from Jess Kerr as Mandhana effortlessly pulls it to deep square leg boundary. The fielder at the fence puts in a terrific effort but fails to stop the ball. INDW 4/0 in 0.1 overs
Women's T20 World Cup Live Score: The chase is on in Dubai!
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana are in the middle to begin this 161 chase for India in their Group A opener. Jess Kerr to start the proceedings for New Zealand. Mandhana on strike. Here we go!
India vs New Zealand Live Score: India need 161 to win their Group A opener against the Kiwis
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Devine's unbeaten fifty lifts Kiwis to 160/4
That's it! New Zealand innings comes to an end as they get to a solid 160 for four after opting to bat first against India in Dubai.
Offie Shreyanka Patil completes the final over of the inning, leaking 11 runs in it, including a boundary.
In the final over, Sophie Devine also got to her 21st T20I fifty, finishing on an unbeaten an unbeaten 36-ball 57.
The Kiwi openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer started off really well but in the middle overs, India bounced back, restricting the scoring.
However, Devine forged a crucial partnership with Brooke Halliday in the second half to take the Kiwis to a solid total.
IND vs NZ Live Score: Second wicket for Renuka!
OUT! Renuka Thakur gets rid of Brooke Halliday on the fourth ball of the penultimate over to break the quickfire 26-ball 46 stand. A soft dismissal for Halliday as she hits the ball straight to Smriti Mandhana at extra cover. Halliday walks back for 16 off 12.
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Deepti leaks 16 in 18th over
2 4 4 1 4 1 - Harmanpreet Kaur's punt to bowl a spinner in the 18th over fails as Deepti Sharma leaks 16 runs in it including 3 boundaries. Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine have now added 40 runs off 22 balls Renuka Thakur to bowl the penultimate over of the innings. NZW 139/3 in 18 overs
Women's T20 World Cup Live Score: Consecutive boundaries for Halliday
FOUR! FOUR! Brooke Halliday showing some urgency now as well as she collects back-to-back boundaries off Deepti Sharma. After a second-ball switch-sweep to short third-man, Halliday fires the third ball of the over to deep backward square leg ropes.
IND vs NZ Live Score: Arundhati finishes her quota for the evening
2 0 1 1 1 1 - Arundhati Reddy gives away just six runs in the 17th over to finish with good figures of 4-0-28-1. Deepti Sharma to to bowl the 18th over for India with Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday in the middle for New Zealand. NZW 123/3 in 17 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: India lose a review on the final ball of the 16th over
Poor review from Shreyanka Patil, Harmanpreet Kaur and India. Brooke Halliday survives an lbw review off the final ball of the over. Looking to sweep the last ball, Halliday missed it. Shreyanka convinced Harman to go for the review but ball-tracking show the ball is going way over the top. 8 runs, including a boundary came in the Shreyanka over. NZW 117/3 in 16 overs
After 15 overs | New Zealand Women 109/3 | Run rate - 7.27
Sophie Devine 27*
Brooke Halliday 1*
Partnership: 10*(4)
Renuka Thakur 1/17
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Renuka strikes to break 32-run stand
OUT! Renuka Singh comes back into the attack and strikes second-ball. After a dramatic turn of events in the last over, Amelia Kerr's stay in the middle doesn't last long. She drills a full length Renuka delivery to Pooja Vastrakar at extra-cover. Kerr walks back for 13. NZW 99/3 in 14.2 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Drama on the final ball of Deepti's 14th over
Ball declared dead after single off the final ball of the over.
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur isn't happy. Amelia Kerr got run out at the striker's end while cheekily taking in a second run. But the umpires have decided that the ball was dead after the first run.
It looked like Harman was going for a change of over but after seeing the Kiwi batters run, she fired in the throw at the striker's end, where Kerr got run out. Amid this, the bowler was taking her cap back from the umpire.
After the commotion, the on-field umpires ruled the ball dead, saying that the ball wasn't in play.
Women's T20 World Cup Live Score: India keep it tight
1 1 1 1 0 1 - Deepti Sharma bowls a tight five-run third over to keep the pressure on. Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr looking to accelerate but aren't managing to middle the ball. Both have so far added 31 runs off 35 balls. NZW 98/2 in 14 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Devine fires consecutive boundaries
FOUR! FOUR! Sophie Devine takes on Asha Sobhana in her final over, slamming a couple of consecutive boundaries. The first one was powerfully struck to the long-off fence and Devine then hammered the second ball of the over to the deep square-leg fence. A couple of crucial boundaries for NZ as they will definitely ease some pressure. NZW 89/2 in 12.2 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: No boundaries in last 6 overs for Kiwis
1 1 2 0 1 1 - Shreyanka Patil comes in and starts off with a decent six-run over. Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr have been kept in check by the India bowlers. Asha Sobhana to now bowl her final over. NZW 81/2 in 12 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: Bowlers keep the pressure on
1 0 1 0 0 1 - Another solid three-run over from Asha Sobhana as India bowlers keep the new batters Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr in check. Just 8 runs scored in the last three overs as the run rate for the Kiwis dip. They are scoring at 6.82 RPO at the moment. Offie Shreyanka Patil now comes into the attack for India. NZW 75/2 in 11 overs
Stat Attack - 29 runs scored by New Zealand in the last 5 overs for the loss of two wickets.
At half-way mark | New Zealand Women 72/2 | Run rate - 7.2
Sophie Devine 3*
Amelia Kerr 2*
Partnership: 5*(11)
Asha Sobhana 1/7
Arundhati Reddy 1/22
India vs New Zealand Live Score: A solid over from Asha!
W 0 0 0 1 0 - Asha Sobhana has produced a near-perfect over for India. After removing a set Georgia Plimmer in it, Asha gave just a single in her second over. Arundhati Reddy to continue from the other end for India. NZW 68/2 in 9 overs
IND vs NZ Live Score: Asha now strikes for India!
OUT! Second wicket in span of four balls for India. Asha Sobhana now strikes from the other end as New Zealand lose set Georgia Plimmer for 34. Looking to clear the long-on fence, Plimmer fails to time her shot properly. Smriti Mandhana takes a good catch at the fence. NZW 67/2 in 8.1 overs
India vs New Zealand Live Score: A breakthrough, finally!
OUT! Arundhati Reddy gets the breakthrough India Women were searching for. New Zealand lose Suzie Bates for a well-made 27. Looking to smack the Arundhati length ball on the on-side, Bates hits the ball straight down the throat of Shreyanka Patil at the fence. An excellent 67-run opening partnership between Bates and Georgia Plimmer comes to an end. NZW 67/1 in 7.4 overs
Women's T20 World Cup Live Score: Decent start from Asha
0 1 1 2 1 1 - As India's search for a breakthrough continues, Asha Sobhana starts off a tidy six-run first over. Both Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer looking really good in the middle at the moment. Arundhati Reddy to continue from the other end for India. NZW 61/0 in 7 overs
End of Powerplay | New Zealand Women 55/0 | Run rate - 9.17
Suzie Bates 19*
Georgia Plimmer 30*
IND vs NZ Live Score: Dropped!
Georgia Plimmer gets really lucky as keeper Richa Ghosh drops a sitter. It was a length ball from Arundhati Reddy and Plimmer was looking to hit it on the on-side. She got the top edge as the ball shot straight up. Ghosh got under the ball but couldn't hold on to the catch, losing it in the night sky.