Fast bowler Shikha Pandey showed great composure and executed her plans brilliantly to help India register a close three-run win over New Zealand in their Group A encounter of ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Melbourne on Thursday. Defending a modest 133, Indian bowlers picked up three wickets inside first 10 overs, including their skipper Sophie Devine, which pushed New Zealand on the backfoot. However, Maddy Green (24 off 23), Katey Martin (25 off 28) and Amelia Kerr (34 not out off 19) kept New Zealand hopes alive and gave Indian bowlers some nervy moments. Needing 34 off 12 balls, Kerr collected 18 runs in the penultimate over bowled by Poonam Yadav. Hayley Jensen began the final over smashing a boundary on the very first ball. Kerr scored boundary on the penultimate delivery to make it five from the last ball. However, Shikha Pandey fired in a brilliant yorker to finish off things in style as India reached the semi-finals. Earlier, Shafali Verma (46 off 34 balls) batted with great maturity as India posted 133/8. Rest of the batters couldn't capitalise on the start and stuttered towards the end. Radha Yadav scored a 9-ball 14 to give some respectability to the total. For New Zealand, Rosemary Mair (2/27) and Amelia Kerr (2/21) took two wickets each.
Highlights Between India Vs New Zealand ICC Women's T20 World Cup, straight from Junction Oval, Melbourne
- 12:51 (IST)Thank you for joining us!Shafali Verma once again won the player of the match award. That's all for today. Thank you for joining us, hope you liked our coverage. Till next time.. goodbye!
- 12:28 (IST)India win by four runs and book a semi-finals spot!Shikha Pandey bowls a perfect yorker to finish off things in style as India won by three runs to qualify for the semi-finals.
- 12:24 (IST)
- 12:22 (IST)Brilliant bowling!Shikha Pandey bowls back to back yorkers and concedes only two singles.
- 12:21 (IST)12 needed off five!Hayley Jensen collects a boundary on the first ball to the delight of her teammates, sitting in the dugout.
- 12:20 (IST)18 runs off the 19th over!Amelia Kerr collects 18 runs in the penultimate over, including four boundaries, to keep New Zealand alive in the game.
- 12:19 (IST)Brilliant start to the over!
- 12:15 (IST)New Zealand need 34 from 12 balls!Poonam Yadav will bowl the penultimate over and New Zealand need 34 off two overs.
- 12:11 (IST)Radha Yadav removes Katey Martin for 25!
- 12:10 (IST)
- 12:06 (IST)
- 12:02 (IST)Huge wicket for India as Green goes for 24!
- 11:58 (IST)Solid partnership for New Zealand!The fourth wicket stand between two New Zealand batters Katey Martin and Maddy Green has kept their side in the hunt but they need to keep going.
- 11:53 (IST)
- 11:51 (IST)
- 11:49 (IST)
- 11:41 (IST)Brilliant bowling from Poonam!Poonam Yadav completes a brilliant over in which she gave away just five runs -- all singles-- and took the all-important wicket of Sophie Devine.
- 11:39 (IST)Poonam Yadav removes Sophie Devine!
- 11:36 (IST)Tidy over for Radha Yadav!Radha Yadav bowls a brilliant over as she gives away only one run that too while bowling against New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine.
- 11:29 (IST)Huge wicket for India!
- 11:25 (IST)Four!Sophie Devine comes dancing down the track and lofts a full ball over mid-off for a boundary. NZ 26/1 in 4.2 overs.
- 11:21 (IST)India lose their review!
- 11:19 (IST)
- 11:14 (IST)Shikha Pandey strikes, removes Rachel Priest!
- 11:10 (IST)12 runs off the first over!
- 10:53 (IST)New Zealand need 134 to win!12 runs came of the final over, including a runout on the last ball, as India finish at 133/8.
- 10:52 (IST)SIX!Radha Yadav clears the long-off fence and collects a maximum as India go past 130-mark.
- 10:49 (IST)Missed stumping chance!Another missed chance as New Zealand wicket-keeper Rachel Priest fails to get hold of the ball and misses a simple stumping. To her defence she was blinded by the batter in front but at this level you are expected to make most of such chances.
- 10:45 (IST)India seven down as Deepti falls for 8!
- 10:38 (IST)Veda Krishnamurthy departs cheaply!Veda Krishnamurthy gets down on the knees for a sweep shot but misses the line completely. The New Zealand players were pretty confident and challenged the on-field decision and got the reward as the decision was overturned.
- 10:32 (IST)100 up for India!Veda Krishnamurthy takes a single to bring up 100 runs for India in the 15th over.
- 10:29 (IST)Wicket! Shafali Verma departs!Shafali Verma comes down the track but her mistimed shot goes straight to extracover fielder as India lose fifth wicket.
- 10:24 (IST)Another failure for Harmanpreet!
- 10:20 (IST)Six!Shafali Verma comes down the track, converts the delivery in to a full toss and lofts it over bowler's head for a maximum. IND 90/3 in 12 overs
- 10:18 (IST)
- 10:17 (IST)Soft dismissal for Jemimah Rodrigues!
- 10:12 (IST)Dropped at mid-wicket!Another chance goes begging as the mid-wicket fielder drops a sitter to give Shafali Verma one more life. IND 75/2 in 10 overs
- 10:10 (IST)Four!Jemimah Rodrigues gets off the mark in style with a boundary. IND 72/2 in 9.3 overs.
- 10:08 (IST)WICKET! Taniya Bhatia departs!
- 10:04 (IST)Dropped!Shafali Verma tries to clear the long-on fence but doesn't get enough power and the fielder drops a tough chance despite getting both hands. IND 60/1 in 8 overs