A shoddy batting performance by the middle-order saw Indian women lose a nail-biting second T20 International against New Zealand by four wickets and concede the three-match series here Friday.
The Indian women had earlier lost the first Twenty20 International by 23 runs in Wellington. Needing a win to keep the series alive, Indian women posted a modest 135 for 6 despite being 72 for 2 after the first 10 overs.
Chasing a modest target, New Zealand made a heavy weather of the chase before scampering home off the last ball of the match losing six wickets. “I think we should give credit to our bowlers, it wasn’t a good total but still they fought for us. We were 20 runs short, They played better cricket than us. We just need to learn from our mistakes and play better,” India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said after the match.
Jemimah Rodrigues slammed a 53-ball 72 that included six boundaries and one six but India scored only 63 runs in the back 10 to end up 20 runs short, which became their undoing. The White Ferns lost two quick wickets – opener Sophie Devine (19) and Caitlin Gurrey (4) by the seventh over with the scoreboard reading 40. But then Suzie Bates (62) and Amy Satterthwaite (23) joined hands and the duo stitched 61 runs for the third wicket to get New Zealand women back into the track