Suzie Bates’ stunning 106 helps New Zealand to overcome India in the series opener

After winning the only T20I game of the tour, New Zealand Women started their World Cup preparations with a clinical 62-run victory over India Women in the first of the five-match ODI series.

An all-round effort by the home team ensured that team India were never really in the hunt and failed to chase down a tricky total of 276.

Star batter Suzie Bates’ shouldered the responsibility alongside Amy Satterthwaite and the duo helped their side cross the 270-run mark on a tricky surface at John Davies Oval, Queenstown. Pacer Jess Kerr ran the show with the ball in hand and bagged four crucial wickets to bowl out India for 213.

India won the toss and had no hesitation to bowl first on a surface that had something for the pace bowlers. The decision back-fired immediately as New Zealand’s opening duo of Suzie Bates and Maddy Green added 54-runs for the opening wicket and laid a strong foundation for the middle order batters. Indian bowlers were erratic with their lines and lengths and paid the price for it. 

Just when the White Ferns were running away with the contest, Deepti Sharma broke the partnership when she dismissed Green in the 13th over. Bates had few nervy moments and was even dropped on 1, but the classy player made the most of her second life and notched up her 11th ODI century. Her 111-ball innings consisted of 10 fours and it basically took the game away from the visitors.

NZ would have surely crossed the 300-run mark, but some tight bowling towards the slog overs ensured that hosts were bundled out for 275. But by then the damage was done by Bates and Satterthwaite who scored a quick-fire 63 and played a perfect second fiddle to Bates.

India were without Smriti Mandhana for this contest and her absence was dearly felt as the visitors toiled hard, but couldn’t achieve their goal. They kept losing wickets at regular intervals and never really gathered the momentum after the early jitters.

India lost both the openers, Shafali Verma and S Meghana inside the power-play. However, Mithali Raj and Yastika Bhatia started to resurrect their sinking ship. The duo added 88 runs for the third wicket and gave a ray of hope to their side. Once Bhatia was dismissed for her 63-ball 41, no one stood tall alongside Mithali who top-scored with 59 and was the lone warrior for her side.

From 105 for 2 to 165 for 6, India witnessed a mini-collapse as New Zealand bowled accurate lines and lengths and never allowed India to catch any sort of momentum.

The caravan now shifts towards the second ODI of the series on February 15, where India will aim to bounce back.