It wasn't a great start to Team India's ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 by any stretch of the imagination. India were up against New Zealand in their first group-stage match and they were outplayed by the White Ferns who went on to beat India by 58 runs. While New Zealand have had the upper hand over India, not many saw such a heavy defeat coming for India in their opening match.
After the match, star batter Jemimah Rodrigues dissected India's loss at the post match press conference. She admitted that there were not many positives to look from this match for India and they would like to forget the match as they need to move on and keep picking themselves up which is what the team's character is all about.
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"Today would be the game we would like to forget. This is a World Cup. We need to keep moving on and keep picking ourselves up. Can't stay stuck at this game. We need to pick ourselves up and I think that will show the character of this team," Rodrigues said.
India Bowled Out For 102 In Pursuit Of 161
Talking about the match, the Kiwis made 160 in their 20 overs with captain Sophie Devine leading from the front and scoring an unbeaten 57 off 36. In response, India were bowled out for 102. Harmanpreet Kaur top-scored with 15 off 14, two batters scored 13 and two others scored 12 but that one solid contribution around whom the innings could have revolved around never came.
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The Women in Blue kept losing wickets at regular intervals with New Zealand's Rosemary Mair being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4 for 19 from her 4 overs while Lea Tahuhu also finished with 3 wickets. Devine who took 3 catches to go with her 57 runs and captained the team brilliantly was adjudged the Player Of The Match.