India Women vs New Zealand Women Highlights, 1st ODI: India beat New Zealand by 59 runs

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

Saima Thakor to Lauren Down, 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.

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

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

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

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, Length and on the stumps. Plimmer stands tall and taps it back to the bowler.

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, 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.

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, 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.

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, 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.

Renuka Singh Thakur to Lauren Down, 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.

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

Renuka Singh Thakur to Lauren Down, 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.

Saima Thakor to Georgia Plimmer, 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.

Saima Thakor to Lauren Down, 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.

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

Lauren Down is in at number 3.

Saima Thakor to Suzie Bates, 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!

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

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

Saima Thakor, the debutant to share the attack.

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, 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. 

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, 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.

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, 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.

Renuka Singh Thakur to Georgia Plimmer, 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.

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

Renuka Singh Thakur to Suzie Bates, 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.

We are back with New Zealand Women's reply! They need 228 runs to win this series opener. Out walk the two openers - Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer. The Indian players have taken their fielding positions as well. It will be Renuka Singh Thakur to begin the proceedings with the ball for the Women in Blue with a slip in place. A bit of delay as the umpires are waiting for the countdown to complete. And, here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Well then, after a bowling dominance, New Zealand Women will expect the same to be replicated by the batters. They do hold an upper hand in the game as we speak. And India Women will have to bring their A-game to the table with the ball to prevent the Kiwis from chasing down this total. The ball has spun and bounced, and India too, has a streak of tweakers who could prove to be effective. But, it all depends on the application and conviction. Stay tuned, as an exciting run-chase is up next in a few minutes.

Eden Carson is in for a chat. She says that India were off to a good start and Shafali looked good. Mentions that there's a bit of hold on the surface but it is still a good batting track. Adds that the weather is hot here but not as hot as it was in Dubai. Ends by saying that is it difficult to shift from T20 mode to ODI mode but they are up for this challenge.

While Deepti Sharma fought a lone battle with a responsible 41, she eventually succumbed to the mounting pressure. The Kerr sisters proved to be most effective - Melie Kerr finished with an excellent four-wicket haul while Jess complemented it with three scalps of her own. Eden Carson equally contributed with her part of two wickets. As a result, India couldn't bat through the 50 overs. Also, none of the Indian batters could cross even the 50-run mark, with three getting out in their 30s. It was the debutant Tejal Hasabnis who impressed everyone with her calm temperament, being the highest scorer, notching 42.

The middle overs saw India attempting to rebuild, but New Zealand's spin duo of Melie Kerr and Eden Carson cleverly varied their pace and length to maintain pressure. While India managed a decent scoring rate, adding 146 runs in the second Powerplay, they also lost four crucial wickets in the process, never quite breaking free. In the final phase, Melie Kerr turned the screws further, showcasing her mastery over flight and bounce to dismantle India's lower order. 

In the face of mounting pressure, Jemimah Rodrigues found an able ally in debutant Tejal Hasabnis. Together, they crafted a fighting 61-run partnership from a precarious 91/4, showcasing both Hasabnis's promising debut temperament and Jemimah's class. However, the familiar pattern of Indian batters getting starts but failing to convert them into substantial scores ultimately played into New Zealand's tactical strengths.

New Zealand's bowling execution reflected thorough preparation. Pacers Molly Penfold and Jess Kerr tried to maintain the pressure with accurate lines, and while they occasionally strayed, offering a few boundary balls, the regular fall of wickets covered these lapses. Eden Carson's early introduction proved tactical brilliance, as she immediately struck twice in her opening spell. Despite that, India Women managed to score a tinge above run-a-ball - being 69/2 at the end of the first Powerplay.

On a sun-baked pitch tailor-made for batting, India Women's innings began on shaky ground with their captain's early exit. Shafali Verma responded with characteristic aggression, crafting a promising 37-run partnership with Bhatia before falling herself. Though Yastika Bhatia found her rhythm and scored with confidence, India surprisingly lost their top three within the first 11 overs, despite the favorable conditions, largely due to rushed shot selection.

A very disappointing outing with the bat for India Women as they have been bowled out without playing the allotted 50 overs. Body language experts can assert that the Indian Head Coach, Amol Muzumdar is livid in the dugout, but it has been that kind of a day from the Indian perspective. One goes, and the other follows her. On the other hand, a job well done by the Kiwi bowlers. The ball held onto the surface and that's where the tweakers came in handy, bowling exactly according to the conditions and the demand of the situation.

Jess Kerr to Deepti Sharma, OUT! TIMBER! Deepti Sharma is the final player to be dismissed! Lands it fuller and on leg, Deepti Sharma shuffles across to sweep it but misses as the ball rattles over the leg pole. A fine innings from Deepti Sharma comes to an end and India Women have been bowled out for 227 runs!

Jess Kerr to Deepti Sharma, Fuller again, this is again flicked towards mid-wicket. Dot again.

Jess Kerr to Deepti Sharma, Too full, on off, Deepti Sharma nudges it through mid-wicket. She denies for a single.

Jess Kerr to Deepti Sharma, Wide! Lands it down leg, Deepti Sharma looks to sweep it but misses.

Melie Kerr to Renuka Singh Thakur, Quicker one, outside off, turning away. Renuka Singh Thakur looks to block it but gets beaten again.

Melie Kerr to Renuka Singh Thakur, Slower one, on off, Renuka Singh Thakur looks to block it but the bal hits the upper part of her bat and carries back. Melie Kerr fumbles a bit and fails to reach to the ball in time. So close!

Melie Kerr to Renuka Singh Thakur, Play and a miss again. Some turn and bounce, outside off, Renuka Singh Thakur looks to play at it but misses again.

Melie Kerr to Renuka Singh Thakur, Past the edge! Looped up outside off, and then it dips and turns with extra bounce. Renuka Singh Thakur looks to block it but gets beaten.

Renuka Singh Thakur is the last batter for India Women.

Melie Kerr to Saima Thakor, OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! Melie Kerr gets her fourth wicket and India Women are staring down an all-out before 50 overs. Melie Kerr cunningly varies her pace again, bowls it on a flatter trajectory around off, on a fuller length. It turns and bounces a bit as well off the deck. Saima Thakor employs the sweep shot, gets her bat underneath the ball but due to that excessive bounce, she ends up slices it flat in the air. Doesn't get the distance and airs it straight towards Hannah Rowe patrolling the deep square leg boundary. She takes a regulation catch in the deep and India Women are 9 wickets down now.

Melie Kerr to Saima Thakor, Pushed through, full and around off, Saima Thakor lunges out with a huge stride and eases it to the point region.

Jess Kerr to Saima Thakor, Full and at the leg stump. Thakor drills it to wide long on for a single.

Jess Kerr to Saima Thakor, A stifled appeal for LBW by the keeper but 'No' says the umpire. Izzy Gaze is not given a go-ahead by the skipper to go upstairs on this one. A cross-seamed delivery on the middle and leg, skids quickly off the deck. Saima Thakor looks to play it across but inside edges it onto the pads.

Jess Kerr to Deepti Sharma, On the pads, on a full length, this is turned to the front of square in the leg side by Deepti for a single.