Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
New Zealand Women 259 for 9 (Devine 79, Bates 58, Radha 4-69) beat India Women 183 (Radha 48, Devine 3-27, Tahuhu 3-42) by 76 runs
It was a day when Radha Yadav could do everything: fly like a superwoman to grab two stunning catches, take 4 for 69 with the ball, be India’s top-scorer with 48 from No. 9, and help add 70 for the ninth wicket. That was not only India’s highest stand in pursuit of 260 against New Zealand on Sunday, but also their highest ODI partnership for that wicket.
But unfortunately for India, all those performances could not help India from avoiding defeat. New Zealand, led by an all-round show from their captain Sophie Devine, sealed a comfortable 76-run win to take the series into the decider. Not only that, New Zealand also grabbed crucial points in the Women’s Championship to remain afloat for direct qualification for next year’s World Cup.
Devine hit 79 and saw off a quiet period with the bat for her side, eventually pushing New Zealand’s first-innings total to 259. With the ball, she bagged her opposite number Harmanpreet Kaur, and also Jemimah Rodrigues. India’s chase was never on track either side of that brief stand, falling well shot despite some resilience late in the contest.
Five overs into the chase, India were 26 for 3, with Smriti Mandhana falling without scoring. She chipped Lea Tahuhu to point in the first over, before Jess Kerr trapped Shafali Verma in front for an entertaining 11 in the fourth. Next over, Tahuhu had Yastika Bhatia edging behind to wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze, who finished the day with four catches.
Harmanpreet and Rodrigues added 38 for the fourth wicket, and that remained India’s highest stand until Radha and Saima Thakor’s ninth-wicket stand of 70. Kaur’s 24 was the most that any top-seven batter from India managed, and at 77 for 5 in the 18th over, the wheels had come off.
