IND vs NZ, ICC Women's T20 WC: India Edge 'White Ferns' By 4 Runs, Secure Semi-final Berth

India maintained their winning form intact in the ICC T20 Women's World Cup by registering their third straight win in the group stage of the tournament after defeating New Zealand by four runs at Junction Oval At Melbourne.

Indian Women's Cricket Team (Image; T20 World Cup)

New Delhi: India edged New Zealand by four runs to win their third straight group match and secure a berth in the semifinals at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at the Junction Oval at Melbourne. After setting the 'White Ferns' a 134-run target, the Indian bowlers produced yet another stellar display with the ball to restrict the Kiwis to 129-6 and clinch a thrilling 4-run win.

India have qualified for the #T20WorldCup semi-finals ???? pic.twitter.com/3QLefaxNpE

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 27, 2020

Seamer Shikha Pandey dealt an early blow dismissing opener Rachel Priest for 12. Deepti Sharma then cartwheeled the stumps of the experienced batsman Suzie Bates for 6. In-form spinner Poonam Yadav then got into the act by dismissing the Kiwis skipper Sophie Devine for 14. Maddy Green and Katey Martin offered some resistance lower down the order but Rajeshwari Gayakwad struck a timely blow to dismiss Green for 24. Spinner Radha Yadav then outfoxed the dangerous Katey Martin for 25. Amelia Kerr produced a quick-fire cameo to keep the Kiwis in hunt for the chase but Shikha Pandey held her nerves in the last over to help the Indians clinch a thrilling win. Earlier in the day, India set New Zealand a 134-run target in their ICC World Cup T20 group fixture being played at the Junction Oval in Melbourne. After put into bat first by Kiwis skipper Sophie Devine , India did not get off to the best possible starts as they lost opener Smriti Mandhana early as seamer Lea Tahuru dismissed her for 11. In-form teenage batsman Shafali Verma then stitched a handy partnership with Tanya Bhatia to help India post 49 inside the powerplays. Shafali did most of the damage early on with some lust boundary hitting. Against the run of play, Rosemary Mair got rid of Taniya Bhatia to get the Kiwis back into the game. Jemimah Rodrigues did not last long as Mair struck again in quick succession to dismiss her for 10. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's poor run with the bat continued as she went back to the pavilion scoring just 1. India were in dire straits when Kerr trapped the experienced Veda Krishnamurthy leg before wicket for 6. Tailenders Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav helped India reach a respectable 133-8 total. Shafali Verma was India's top scorer with a breezy 46 runs off just 34 deliveries, while Tanya Bhatia chipped in with a handy 23-run knock. Playing Eleven New Zealand Women (Playing XI): Sophie Devine(c), Rachel Priest(w), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Katey Martin, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Jensen, Anna Peterson, Leigh Kasperek, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair India Women (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Taniya Bhatia(w), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad