The conditions in the UAE and India's performance in international cricket over the last few years certainly make them a title contender at the Women's T20 World Cup 2024. However, on Friday, in their opening game against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium, India struggled amid poor bowling and fielding errors which left captain Harmanpreet Kaur livid.
The first instance of a fielding error from India came in the final ball of the third over when Smriti Mandhana, stationed at long-on, misjudged the height of the shot from Georgia Plimmer as the ball went over her head to hit the boundary cushion for a six.
Later in the final over of the powerplay, Renuka Thakur misfielded as Plimmer's effort against Arundhati Reddy resulted in a boundary. The India fast bowler, stationed at deep square leg, let it through her hands. A delivery later, Suzie Bates top-edged a leg-side ball as it went straight up. India wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh made the call, settled under it, but made a meal of it as she failed to hold on.
India captain Harmanpreet was not happy with the back-to-back errors as New Zealand completed a fifty-run opening stand in the powerplay to dictate the game.
India bounce back with twin strikes
Just when things started to look grim for India, with Harmanpreet seemingly running out of options amid a 67-run opening stand in just 45 balls, Reddy reprieved in the eight over with the dismissal of Bates. The New Zealand veteran shimmied out of the crease to smash the length delivery over deep mid-wicket, but holed it out to Shreyanka Patil for a catch.
{{/usCountry}}Just when things started to look grim for India, with Harmanpreet seemingly running out of options amid a 67-run opening stand in just 45 balls, Reddy reprieved in the eight over with the dismissal of Bates. The New Zealand veteran shimmied out of the crease to smash the length delivery over deep mid-wicket, but holed it out to Shreyanka Patil for a catch.
{{/usCountry}}Three deliveries later, Asha Sobhana got the better of Plimmer with Mandhana taking a good running catch at long-on. The twin dismissals helped India put the run rate under check as New Zealand managed to amass just 72/2 in 10 overs.
Earlier in the evening, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine won the toss and opted to bat first in Dubai.