The Indian women's team secured a commanding 59-run victory in the first ODI match against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Star spinners Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav played pivotal roles in India's defense of a modest total of 227, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was absent from the game due to a minor injury, resulting in India being bowled out for just 227 runs while batting first. Debutant Tajal Hasabnis top-scored with 42 runs, and Deepti Sharma contributed 41 runs to help the Women in Blue set a challenging target.
New Zealand faced difficulties in their chase, struggling to form significant partnerships on a slow Ahmedabad pitch. Amelia Kerr showed resilience by scoring an unbeaten 25 runs from the no.9 position, but lacked support from her teammates.
Radha Yadav took three wickets, while debutant pacer Saima Thakor claimed two, leading to New Zealand being bowled out for 168 in 40.4 overs.
India's victory also served as a form of redemption for their loss to Sophie Devine's New Zealand side in the T20 World Cup 2024 group stage. New Zealand had defeated India by 58 runs in their initial encounter in the UAE, eventually clinching their first T20 World Cup title last week.
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