IND-W vs NZ-W Ball by Ball Commentary

OUT! RUN OUT! That is it! India Women win by 59 runs and take the lead in the series by 1-0. Radha Yadav bowls a high full toss outside off, Carson arches a bit and slashes it in the cover-point region. Melie Kerr wants a single and asks Carson to run but the latter gets a bit late to respond to it and eventually obeys her partner. Scoots to the other end in a hurry. Dayalan Hemalatha, at covers, is quick to pick and throws it sharply towards the bowler's end. Yadav fails to collect it, but the ball directly lobs on the stumps with Carson way out of her crease.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Radha Yadav comes and strikes again. She gets her third wicket and India Women can now smell a win. Radha Yadav bowls it from around the stumps and provides a lot of revolutions on this one. At just 69 kph, she tosses it up and lands it fuller around the middle and leg channel. Molly Penfold is lured in the flight and is drawn forward to work it across to the leg side but is months early into her shot. Plays all over the wrong line and the ball beats the outside edge before clattering the sticks.

Flat and full, around off, stabbed to the point region.

Radha Yadav is into the attack now. Drops a slower one, on the middle and leg, Molly Penfold brings her bat early and lobs it in front of the cover.

Fuller one, on off, Molly Penfold eases it to mid on for one.

OUT! TAKEN! Izzy Gaze departs! On a length and outside off, Izzy Gaze reaches out to it and looks to loft it but doesn't connect well. The ball airs towards long on. Saima Thakor runs forward, juggles, and completes the catch in her second attempt.

Length, on off, Izzy Gaze blocks it to the fielder at short third.

Slower one, outside off, Melie Kerr cuts it to point for one.

FOUR! Well played! Bowls it on off, Melie Kerr picks it well and drills it hard past the bowler for a boundary. The long on fielder tries to run across and cut it off but she can't get there in time.

Fuller one, on off, Melie Kerr knocks it to mid off for none.

Bowls it on off, Melie Kerr flicks it towards deep mid-wicket for one. Good work by Jemimah Rodrigues in the deep.

A low full toss, Izzy Gaze moves forward and knocks it down the ground for one.

Bowls it on off, Melie Kerr flicks it through mid on for one.

Fuller one, on off, Izzy Gaze sweeps it through square leg for one.

Short, on off, Melie Kerr punches it through the right of the bowler for one.

FOUR! They will look to gear up now and a lot depends on Melie Kerr for the Kiwis! Slower one, on a good length, on leg, Melie Kerr uses the depth of the crease, she rocks back and pulls it hard through mid-wicket for a boundary. Arundhati Reddy from long on sprints to her right to cut it off but the ball has enough wheels on it to breach into the fence.

Slower one, on off, Izzy Gaze guides it to the fielder at short third.

Length, outside off, Melie Kerr slaps it down the ground for one.

Bowls it on off, Melie Kerr looks to cut it but gets beaten.

Bowls it on leg, Izzy Gaze paddles it fine for one.

Slower one, on leg, Izzy Gaze tucks it to the fielder at short mid-wicket.

On a length and on leg, Melie Kerr knocks it to mid on for one.

Lands it on off, Melie Kerr taps it to covers for one.

Slower one, on middle, Izzy Gaze flicks it to square leg for one.

Tossed up, on off, Izzy Gaze blocks it to the left of the bowler.

Lands it on off, Izzy Gaze drives it to the fielder at mid off.

Slower through the air, on off, Izzy Gaze blocks it back.

Short, on middle, Melie Kerr drills it to long on for one.

Too full, on middle, Izzy Gaze digs it back to the bowler.

Bowls it on off, Izzy Gaze eases it to mid off.

Length, on middle, Melie Kerr turns it through square leg for one.

Fuller one, outside off, Izzy Gaze slaps it through point for one.

Slower one, on off, Izzy Gaze blocks it to mid off.

Lands it on off, Melie Kerr flicks it to mid-wicket for one.

Some turn and bounce, outside off, Izzy Gaze looks to block it but misses.

Slower one, on off, Izzy Gaze blocks it to covers.

Short, on off, Melie Kerr punches it to mid off for one more.

Lands it on middle, Izzy Gaze paddles it fine for one.

Bowls it on off, Melie Kerr taps it to covers for one.

Tossed up, on off, Melie Kerr drives it to covers. Dot.

Fuller one, on off, Izzy Gaze taps it to the fielder at extra covers.

On a length and on middle, Melie Kerr knocks it to mid on for one.

Wide! Down the leg side, Melie Kerr leaves it alone.

Slower one, on middle, Izzy Gaze tucks it to mid-wicket for one.

Length, on off, Izzy Gaze drives it to the cover fielder.

Oh, that was an opportunity! A difficult one though. Length and on off, Melie Kerr slaps it back. Thakur couldn't get low in time as the ball sneaks beneath her legs. The batters collect a single.

On a length and on off, Melie Kerr punches it through covers for a brace.

Fuller one, on middle, Izzy Gaze gets low and sweeps it fine for a brace.

Bowls it on leg, Izzy Gaze flicks it to short mid-wicket.

Quicker one, on middle, with a hint of turn, Izzy Gaze fends it to point.

Slower through the air, this is defended towards mid on.

Tossed up, on leg, Izzy Gaze blocks it back.

Slower one, on off, Melie Kerr taps it to extra covers for one.

Excellent over from Saima Thakor! Full, outside off, Izzy Gaze eases it to the cover fielder.

Wide! Sways it down leg, Izzy Gaze looks to flick it but misses.

Make it five dots! Slower one, outside off, Izzy Gaze defends it to the fielder at short third.

Four dots in a row now! Lands it outside off, Izzy Gaze slaps it to the point fielder.

Full again, outside off, Izzy Gaze blocks it to point.

Fuller one, on middle, Izzy Gaze blocks it back.

On a length and on off, Izzy Gaze eases it to the right of the keeper.

Fuller one, on off, Melie Kerr eases it to the fielder at extra covers.

Some turn and bounce, outside off, Melie Kerr looks to drive it but misses. Yastika Bhatia behind the stumps makes a stumping attempt. The umpire goes upstairs to have a check and replays show that Melie Kerr was well inside her crease. NOT OUT!

OUT! CAUGHT! Another one departs and New Zealand Women go seven down in a jiffy! Fuller one, outside off, Jess Kerr moves forward to loft it but gets an outside edge. The ball lobs towards backward point. Saima Thakor runs to her left and completes the catch. Radha Yadav gets her second wicket and so far, it has been a complete bowling performance by the Indians. New Zealand Women in deep, deep trouble.

Full, outside off, Jess Kerr eases it to backward point.

Slower one, outside off, Jess Kerr flicks it but gets a top edge. The fielder runs behind and makes a dive but the ball lands further. Two runs taken.

Tossed up, on off, Jess Kerr blocks it back.

Back of a length and on off, Gaze stands tall and pats it out towards mid on.

Length ball around off, Jess Kerr carves through point for one.

OUT! RUN OUT! One brings two and New Zealand Women have now lost both their set batters in the span of just three deliveries. A good presence of mind by the Indian skipper Smriti Mandhana. India Women right in the driving seat at the moment! Saima Thakor bowls it too full on the off-stump line, Gaze prods ahead and shovels it out back to the bowler. Saima falls over on the follow-through, but parries the ball off her fingertips to mid off. Yastika Bhatia shouts loudly to throw at her end as Maddy Green hesitates for a bit to complete the run. Smriti Mandhana at mid off is quick to pick and throw at the striker's end and scores a direct hit. The side-on replay confirms that Green was just short of her crease when the stumps were broken. New Zealand Women have now slipped from 129/4 to 132/6 and they are still in need of 97 runs in 122 deliveries.

Fuller one, on off, Izzy Gaze blocks it to mid on.

Good length ball on off, Gaze plays it out back to the bowler.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! A massive, massive wicket for India Women and Saima Thakor continues to impress on her debut as she breaks the 50-run stand between Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green. She bowls it on a good length and keeps the line of attack on the middle and off-stump line. It holds a bit on the surface and Halliday gets early on the shot. Ends up chipping it straight back to the bowler, and Thakor makes no mistake by taking a regulation catch. New Zealand Women need 99 runs in 124 balls.

An appeal by the keeper but the umpire is unmoved. Smriti Mandhana too, decides not to go against the decision. Tossed up on the off stump line, Green tries to flick it across but misses as gets rapped on her front pad. Mandhana signals that it was a bit high on the bounce.

Slower through the air, spinning in from off, nudged to mid-wicket.

Much fuller again, around off, worked away through cover for a single. 50-run stand comes up between the two.

FOUR! Crunched through the covers! Slightly overpitched by Deepti, on off, Brooke Halliday pats her front foot ahead and creates some room, drives it through the mid off and cover gap for a boundary.

Full and on off, Halliday gets behind it and fends it on the deck.

Deepti Sharma comes back into the attack, replacing Shafali Verma. Drops it slow and short, outside off, Brooke Halliday pulls it off the back foot but straight to mid-wicket.

An excellent over by the debutant. Just a single from it. Change of pace, slow and outside off, Maddy Green squats and cuts it straight to point.

Pitched up, outside off, worked through the cover-point region for a single.

Make that four dots in a row now! Gentle-pace delivery, full and on the stumps, Brooke Halliday clears her front leg and pushes it firmly to mid off.

Three dots on the trot for Saima! Across off, full in length, slashed away straight to cover by Brooke.

Saima bowls full and on middle, Brooke Halliday drives across to short mid-wicket.

Pitched fuller on the stumps, Brooke Halliday presents a solid front foot block.

Tossed up, full and outside off, Maddy Green strides across and drives it straight to mid off to end the over. Not an ideal start by Shafali Verma as she concedes 10 from her first over. New Zealand Women now need 105 off 138 balls with six wickets in hand.

Pushed through, full and on the stumps, Brooke Halliday steers it to widish long on for a single.

Pitched up, full around off, Brooke Halliday drives it straight to Smriti Mandhana at cover.

On the stumps, full in length, turned away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Classic cover drive! Drops a genuine half-volley around off, Maddy Green gets a good stride ahead, meets the ball right under her eyes, middles it and drives it crisply through covers for a boundary. Two in two for Green!

FOUR! Shafali Verma has been greeted with a cheeky boundary! She starts her spell by bowling a flatter one, quicker in pace, full and outside off, Maddy Green rocks back and cuts it pretty late through short third for a boundary. It races away like a tracer-bullet.

A huge appeal for LBW but not given! Smriti Mandhana comes running to the keeper and after a brief chat, she signals the 'T' to challenge the on-field decision. Thakor bowls a fuller one, on the leg stump line, it skids and comes off quickly on the batter. Brooke Halliday is a bit late to transfer the weight on the back foot and plays all over the line of the ball, as she tries to flick it away. UltraEdge shows nothing and the Ball Tracking confirms that the ball has pitched outside leg. India Women burn a review. New Zealand Women need 115 runs in 144 balls at 4.79 rpo.

Fuller length and on the middle and leg, Green works it to long on for one.

An attempted yorker outside off, Green digs it away to Yadav at point.

FOUR! A valiant effort in the field but in vain and it runs away to the fence! Saima Thakor bowls an overpitched delivery outside off, Maddy Green jams her bat down in time and shovels it in the air between the backward point and short third fielders. Radha Yadav at backward point leaps to her left but does not get her hand on the ball and it races away to the fence for a boundary. It was just too far away from the fielder but a good effort by Radha.

Too full, around off, driven straight to cover on the front foot.

On a length and just outside off, Brooke Halliday punches it through covers for one.

Around the wickets now, too full and on the pads, Halliday paddles it down to deep fine for a brace as Shafali Verma slides and cuts the ball before the ropes.

Short of a good length, around off, punched back to the bowler.

Short of a good length around off, punched through covers for a couple fo runs by Halliday.

FOUR! Nicely done! Drags her length a bit does Hemalatha, outside off, Halliday gets a comfortable bounce and width, cuts it late through backward point for a boundary. 100 up for New Zealand Women.

Tossed up outside off, Green drives it down to deep covers for one.

Tossed up around off, Green goes to drive it but ends up edging it. The keeper spills it as the ball rolls to short third.

Too full outside off, Maddy Green moves across and tries to scoop it but under edges.

Nice and full, around off, Maddy Green presents full face of the bat on the front foot and drives it straight to mid off. Uh, oh! Arundhati Reddy has overstepped and the umpire signals for a NO BALL. FREE HIT to follow. A discussion between the bowler and the umpire about switching sides. But, the umpire tells Arundhati Reddy that according to the rules, she cannot change the sides.

Very full, outside off, Green bends low and digs it out to point.

Hurls it on a nagging length, outside off, Maddy Green rocks back to pierce the gap but cuts it straight to point.

Fractionally fuller and angling back in on middle, Brooke Halliday knocks it down to long on for a single.

Length, on the middle, Maddy Green goes on the back foot and chips it over the bowler for a single.

Outside off, Green cuts it through point for a single. A decent start for Dayalan Hemalatha. Just 3 runs from it.

Hemalatha drops a loopy delivery that turns back into the batter from outside off, Maddy Green tries to create some room for the cut shot but ends up almost chopping it back into the stumps. The ball dribbles and passes close to the off-pole.

Flat and full, on the fourth stump, Brooke Halliday strides across and drives it to deep cover for one.

Pushed through, fuller and on the leg stump line, Brooke Halliday leans on the ball and pushes it back to the bowler.

Flighted up, full and outside off, sliced away to cover-point by Brooke.

Tossed up, on a good length around off, cut away straight to point.

Around the wickets now for the left-hander. Reddy hurls it on a nagging length, angling in on middle, Brooke Halliday flicks it off her wrists to deep mid-wicket for an easy single to end the over. Just 4 runs from this one.

Angling on the pads, on a good length, nurdled away to the deep square leg region for an easy single by Green.

Back to over the stumps for the right-hander. Reddy bowls a half-tracker on the stumps, Maddy Green flat-bats it straight to mid-wicket.

Full and angling on middle and leg, Brooke Halliday flicks it to the right of mid on for a single.

Around the stumps now, length, on off, Brooke Halliday hangs back and pats it to the off side.

Reddy bowls a shorter one, on off, Maddy Green swats it to deep square leg for a single.

Slower through the air, on the middle, Maddy Green rocks back and nudges it to deep square leg for a single to end the over. 8 off this over. New Zealand Women need 140 more runs to win from 29 remaining overs at 4.83 rpo.

FOUR! Innovative and effective! Radha flights it up, full and on the pads, Maddy Green sits on her knee and paddles it to deep fine for a boundary. No chance for Dayalan Hemalatha to cut the ball off in the deep. Four handy runs for the Kiwis.

Radha Yadav drops full and gets a bit of turn away, on middle and off, Maddy Green leans on and defends it well.

Much fuller, on the leg stump line, Brooke Halliday clips it nicely along the ground to wide of short fine for a single.

Slow, tossed up fuller on the stumps, Brooke Halliday works it straight to mid-wicket.

Flat and short on off, Brooke Halliday rocks back and cuts it away to deep extra cover for a brace.

Lands it on off, Maddy Green eases it to the left of the bowler.

Fuller one, on middle, Maddy Green eases it back to the bowler. Good over so far from Arundhati Reddy!

Slower one, on off, Brooke Halliday flicks it to mid-wicket for one.

Three dots now! On a length and on off, Brooke Halliday eases it to short covers.

Fuller one, on middle, Brooke Halliday blocks it back to the bowler.

On a length and on off, Brooke Halliday eases it to mid on.

Bowls it on off, Maddy Green blocks it solidly.

OUT! TAKEN! The slower ball does the trick! Slower one, on off, Lauren Down moves forward to loft it but the ball hits the upper part of her blade. It then carries towards wide of mid off. Tejal Hasabnis moves to her left and completes the catch. New Zealand Women under extreme pressure now as the top four have been blown away inside the 20 overs. A sedate inning by Lauren Down comes to an end. She departs on 26 (56) and the Kiwis are 79/4 after 18.5 overs. Need 149 more runs to win now in 31.1 overs. End of a successful over by Radha Yadav!

Short, on off, Lauren Down punches it to the fielder at short covers.

Slower one, on middle, Brooke Halliday tucks it to mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Excellent from Brooke Halliday! Bowls it outside off, Brooke Halliday gets low and plays a reverse sweep through short third for a boundary.

Fuller one, on off, Lauren Down sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Fuller this time, Brooke Halliday eases it to the fielder at short covers.

Some turn and bounce, on off, Lauren Down guides it to backward point for one.

Too full, outside off, Brooke Halliday drives it through covers for one.

Slower one, on off, Lauren Down knocks it to mid on for one.

Tossed up, on off, Brooke Halliday slaps it to covers for one.

Short, on off, Lauren Down punches it to covers for one.

Short and wide, Brooke Halliday looks to slap it but gets beaten.

Fuller again, on off, Brooke Halliday knocks it to the mid off fielder.

Fuller one, on off, Brooke Halliday drives it to the cover fielder.

Short, on off, Brooke Halliday blocks it back.

Just short! Full, on off, Lauren Down looks to flick it but gets a leading edge. It carries and falls short of the fielder at mid on. They cross.

Slower one, outside off, Brooke Halliday punches it to covers for one.

Some turn and bounce, on middle, Lauren Down flicks it to the mid-wicket fielder.

Lands it on off, Lauren Down blocks it back again.

Tossed up, on off, Lauren Down taps it back to the bowler.

Bowls it on leg, Brooke Halliday slogs it through backward square leg for one.

Short, on middle, Brooke Halliday blocks it to the left of the bowler.

Lands it on middle, Lauren Down pushes it to mid on for one.

Fuller one, on off, Lauren Down flicks it over mid-wicket for one.

Bowls it on middle, Brooke Halliday sweeps it to square leg for one more.

Slower one, on middle, Lauren Down knocks it to mid on for one.

Lands it on middle, Brooke Halliday slogs it through square leg for one.

FOUR! Well played! Short and on off, Brooke Halliday dances down the wicket and powers it over mid on for a boundary.

Slower one, on middle, Brooke Halliday blocks it to square leg.

Fuller one, on middle, Lauren Down flicks it to the mid-wicket fielder.

Tossed up, on off, Lauren Down eases it to mid on.

Short, on off, Brooke Halliday punches it to covers for one.

FOUR! Nicely played! Slower one, on middle, Brooke Halliday hangs back and whips it through mid-wicket as the ball races away.

Fuller one, on middle, Lauren Down sweeps it through mid-wicket for one.

Short, on off, Brooke Halliday punches it to covers for one.

Lands it outside off, Lauren Down looks to slap it but edges it to the the keeper who fails to complete the catch.

Bowls it down leg, Brooke Halliday tickles it fine for one.

Lands it on middle, Brooke Halliday looks to drive it but miscues it to the mid-wicket fielder.

Short, on off, Brooke Halliday punches it to the cover fielder.

Wide! Down the leg side, Brooke Halliday leaves it alone.

Short, on leg, Brooke Halliday looks to play at it but gets a blow on her pads. An appeal but turned down.

Lands it on off, Lauren Down taps it to covers for one.

OUT! RUN OUT! Deepti Sharma does sharp work in the field and an equally fantastic effort by Yastika Bhatia behind the sticks. This is a slower one, outside off, Sophie Devine blocks it to short covers. Sophie Devine stands between the stumps as the throw comes back to the keeper. Oh, what has happened there? Deepti Sharma swiftly moves to her left, picks up the ball and flatly underarms the throw towards Yastika Bhatia. Bhatia realises that Devine might be out of the popping crease and whips the bails off in a flash. Devine though, is a bit casual in dragging her back foot behind the line and the umpire sends it upstairs to have a check. The replays show that Sophie Devine's foot was just short of the crease and the big screen displays OUT! That's a gift to the India Women but a big setback for the Kiwis here as Devine departs. They have now slipped from 40/1 to 46/3! Brooke Halliday is the next batter.

Slower through the air, on middle, Lauren Down flicks it through mid-wicket for one.

Make it four dots! Similar to the last delivery, this is again played towards mid-wicket.

Three dots now! Full, on middle, Lauren Down flicks it to mid-wicket.

Short, on middle, Lauren Down tucks it to the mid on fielder.

Full, on middle, Lauren Down flicks it to the mid-wicket fielder.

Slower one, on middle, Sophie Devine blocks it to the mid on fielder.

Lands it on off, Lauren Down cuts it to point for one again.

Another single as Sophie Devine drives it through the cover region.

Slower one, wide of off, Lauren Down slaps it to point for one.

Bowls it on off, Sophie Devine punches it to covers for one. She gets off the mark.

On a length, sliding down leg, Lauren Down flicks it to mid-wicket for one.

Full and tossed up outside off. Devine defends it back to the bowler. End of the first Powerplay and New Zealand Women are 40/2, versus India's 69/2 at this very stage.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Deepti Sharma clings on this one and dismisses the in-form Georgia Plimmer on 25! Sharma varies her length this time, and drops it on a good length, spinning on the middle and leg stump with an extra bit of bounce. Georgia Plimmer is cramped up for room as the ball turns a bit more off the deck and gets heavy on her. She goes through the shot and just chips it straight back to Deepti Sharma who takes an alert catch.

Tossed up nicely, full and on off, Georgia Plimmer shovels it off the toe end, towards the bowler. It dips ahead of Deepti and lands just ahead of her.

Sharma tosses it up, full and on middle, Down skips ahead and flicks it past mid-wicket for a single.

Full, outside off, Lauren Down eases it to the point fielder.

Deepti continues and lands it fuller, tosses it up, on off, Georgia Plimmer drills it down the ground but it is intercepted by Deepti on her follow-through. It deflects off her fingertips to mid on and they take a single.

Half-tracker outside off, Lauren Down squats at it and cuts it nicely but finds the fielder at backward point.

Not that short, just outside off, cut away straight to cover.

Tails back into the batter, on a good length on middle, Lauren Down knocks it down the ground to the left of mid on.

Outside off, full in length, punched away to cover by Lauren.

Reddy stays over the stumps, bowls a leg-cutter on the fullish length, shaping onto the pads, Lauren Down flicks it to mid-wicket who misfields and the ball rolls to the deep. Two taken.

Arundhati Reddy is introduced into the attack now, she replaces Renuka Singh Thakur. Hits the deck hard, outside off, this is sliced away to cover-point by Lauren Down.

Just around off, on a good length, Georgia Plimmer goes back and across and knocks it straight to mid off.

Slower through the air, on the fuller length, around off, Georgia Plimmer leans ahead and punches it back to the bowler.

A slip in place now. Full and spinning in, Plimmer goes back and punches it to cover.

Pushed through, on a good length, around off, Lauren Down hangs back and punches it down to the right of long on for a single.

Slightly slower through the air, on a fullish length, on middle, pushed away to mid on by Down.

Length ball, outside off, cut away to point by Down.

Length-delivery outside off. Plimmer drives it to short cover.

WIDE! She will have to reload that one again! Sprayed down leg, on a length, Plimmer misses to flick it away and Yastika Bhatia collects it cleanly behind the wickets. Sees Plimmer's back leg outside the popping crease, Bhatia tries to dislodge the bails but fails to do so and Plimmer drags her back foot in the crease. Wide called.

Full and pushed through on middle, driven straight to mid on for a single.

Keeps the line of attack outside off, on a fullish length, sliced away to the cover region by Lauren Down. The fielder dives to her left and intercepts the ball nicely to prevent any single.

Much fuller on off, Lauren Down gets ahead with a good stride across and drives it straight to cover.

Bowls from wide of the crease, does Renuka, short and angling on the middle, Georgia Plimmer pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

On middle and leg, shaping in, full in length, Down flicks it along the ground to mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Identical line and length, and identical result! An expensive over by the debutant! Saima misfires on the pads again, on a fuller length, Georgia Plimmer brings her wrists into play again and skilfully flicks it through the mid-wicket region for a boundary.

FOUR! A confident shot by Plimmer! Saima again drifts it onto the pads, a genuine half-volley on offer, Georgia Plimmer tilts ahead and flicks it off with her wrists and gets a boundary at deep mid-wicket.

Half-tracker on the middle, Georgia Plimmer hangs back and punches it to mid on.

Length, on the stumps, Plimmer knocks it to mid on.

FOUR! Plimmer isn't going to stay quiet for long! Poor delivery and gets the treatment! Curving back into the pads, on a fuller length, Georgia Plimmer finds the middle of the bat and flicks it through the vacant deep square leg region for a boundary.

On pads, on a length, nurdled away to the square leg region by Plimmer.

Much improved over by Renuka! Concedes just a single off it. Fuller-length delivery around off, Lauren Down pushes it straight to cover to end the over.

A leg-cuttter on a good length, on middle, worked away to the mid-wicket region by Down.

This one tails back into the batter, from off, on a good length, Lauren Down hits it off the back foot from the inner half of the bat.

Angling into the pads, on the good length, Lauren Down is beaten all ends up as she tries to flick it away to the leg side and wears on the front pad.

Well outside off, on a good length, Georgia Plimmer slashes hard at it to cover-point and milks a single.

Thakur continues and hits the deck hard, around off, Plimmer hangs back and punches it on the back foot to cover.

On off, length, punched solidly to the off side to end the fourth over. New Zealand Women need 210 runs in 276 balls.

Goes fuller now, around off, driven straight to cover by Lauren.

FOUR! Pulled away into the gap! Saima Thakor drops it short at a very gentle pace, on off, Lauren Down has all the time to get into the position, transfers the weight on the back foot, gets a comfortable bounce, and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Aims the poles, does Saima, on a fuller length, tailing in a touch, Lauren Down flicks it solidly to the leg side.

Just a tinge outside off on a fractionally good length, Lauren Down hangs back and firmly punches it to cover.

On the stumps, on a length, Lauren Down leans on and presents a solid front foot defence.

Length and on the stumps. Plimmer stands tall and taps it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Struck well through the off side! Length-delivery, just outside off, Georgia Plimmer nicely transfers her weight on the back foot and punches it through covers. Jemimah Rodrigues gives it a long chase from the inner ring to the boundary, gives her everything with the dive, but the ball wins the race eventually. Plimmer didn't try to hit it too hard, just the timing on the shot was exquisite.

WIDE! Down leg on a good length, Plimmer misses to nudge it away and the keeper, Yastika Bhatia dives low to her left and collects it nicely. Wide called.

Attacks the stumps, does Renuka on a length, Georgia Plimmer gets behind the line of the ball and solidly punches it to the off side.

Good length outside off. Lauren Down looks to flick it to mid-wicket but gets an inside edge that rolls down to deep fine for a single.

Length and outside off, nipping back in a shade into the off stump. Down punches it to short cover off the back foot.

An appeal for LBW, but not given. Renuka Singh Thakur bowls it on the line of the stumps, on a fuller length, and curving to the leg stump line, Lauren Down plays completely down the wrong line and goes for a front foot push and wears on the front pad. Possibly going down leg. India do not opt for a review here.

Keeps the line of attack on the stumps, does Thakor, on a good length, Georgia Plimmer prods ahead and eases it to the leg side just near the strip.

Lauren Down gets off the mark. A well-directed short ball outside off. Down goes for the pull but gets the top edge and it falls in the vacant short fine region for a single.

Full and outside off, shaping away from the right-hander. Down goes on the front foot and drives it to short cover.

OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! CAUGHT BEHIND! A dream debut for Saima Thakor as she picks the pricy wicket of the experienced Suzie Bates in the third ball. Saima Thakor stays over the stumps and hits the good length, it nips away a tinge from the off stump. Suzie Bates tries to push it to the off side and hangs her bat away from her body but plays inside the line and gets a faint outside edge to the safe hands of Yastika Bhatia who takes a regulation grab behind the wickets. An appeal for caught behind and up goes the finger. Saima Thakor is all pumped up and so are the Indians, and why not!

More fuller on the stumps, pushed by Bates to mid on.

On the money, is Thakor. Length ball, around off, cut away straight to point.

Fuller length outside off, angling back into the off stump. Plimmer stands tall and drives it back to the bowler. Renuka tries to collect the ball by bending to her right on her follow-through. Does stick her right hand out in the way and ricochets it back onto the stumps at the bowler's end. It deflects to mid on where the fielder collects it and prevents any run. An eventful first over.

Excellent piece of fielding in the deep. Renuka, still trying to find the perfect angle, sprays it onto the pads, Georgia Plimmer again helps it away with a flick to deep fine. Saima Thakor from deep backward square leg cuts the ball off with a good dive and keeps it to two.

FOUR! Poor and gets punished! Renuka sprays it down the pads on a length, Georgia Plimmer helps it away with a tickle off the pads to deep fine for a boundary.

Length and outside off, nips back in a touch. Plimmer hits it back to the bowler. Renuka flicks it back to the stumps at the non-striker's end by Bates is well inside the crease.

Tails back into the batter on a good length, Georgia Plimmer tilts ahead and flicks it straight to mid-wicket.

Thakur starts a bit wayward and New Zealand Women are up and running! Angles it on the pads, does Renuka, on a length, Suzie Bates hangs back and tucks it to widish mid-wicket for a quick single to get off the mark.