Women's T20 WC: Sophie Devine lauds NZ's victory over India
New Zealand captain Sophie Devine has expressed immense pride in her team following their decisive victory over India in the inaugural match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024. The match, held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, saw New Zealand set a challenging target of 160/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Devine led by example with an impressive unbeaten knock of 57 off just 36 deliveries, including seven boundaries.
Mair's bowling prowess seals victory for New Zealand
In response to New Zealand's formidable score, India were dismissed for a mere 102 runs. This was largely due to Rosemary Mair's exceptional bowling performance, where she claimed four wickets while conceding only 19 runs in her four-over spell. The Kiwis won the match by a significant margin of 58 runs, marking an exhilarating start to their T20 World Cup campaign.
Devine credits team's strategy for comprehensive win
Following the victory, Devine praised her team's strategy to exert pressure on India's bowlers from the onset. She stated, "I'm just incredibly proud of this group. To put together such a comprehensive performance is something I'm proud of." She further revealed that they had been preparing for this match for quite some time and were inspired by the Black Caps's performances.
NZ's bowling attack overpowers India
Lea Tahuhu also contributed significantly to New Zealand's victory, taking three wickets for just 15 runs in her four overs. This further weakened India's batting line-up. Harmanpreet Kaur was the highest run-scorer for India with a score of 15 off 14 balls, as none of the batters managed to surpass the 20-run mark. The defeat has severely impacted India's net run rate, placing them at the bottom of Group A with a net run rate of -2.900.
