"Dropped too many catches": Harmanpreet Kaur following loss against NZ

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], October 28, 2024: India Women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur shared her thoughts on the team's recent loss to New Zealand Women in the second ODI of the three-match series, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The 59-run defeat brought the series to a 1-1 tie, setting the stage for an exciting decider on Tuesday at the same venue.

Reflecting on the game, Kaur acknowledged the team’s challenges, particularly in fielding and batting. "I think we gave away too many runs and dropped too many catches, but I think it was still a chaseable target. We didn’t bat well," she said during the post-match presentation. She praised the resilience of Radha Yadav and Saima Thakor, saying, "Good to see Radha and Saima do well with the bat. We kept losing wickets in the chase...Batting is something that we need to work on and if we do that, we can win the series."

After New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat, their lineup posted a competitive total of 259 for nine in 50 overs. Sophie Devine led the charge with a stellar 79 off 86 balls, supported by key innings from Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer. For India, Radha Yadav stood out with the ball, claiming four wickets for 69 runs in her 10-over spell, while Deepti Sharma was economical with two wickets for 30 runs in her 10 overs, including three maidens.

In their chase, India struggled to build momentum, losing wickets consistently. Despite efforts from Radha Yadav, who top-scored with 48, and Saima Thakor’s 29, the hosts were bowled out for 183 in 47.1 overs.

The series decider now approaches, with both teams poised to give their best at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.

Brief Score:
New Zealand – 259/9 in 50 overs (Sophie Devine 79, Suzie Bates 58; Radha Yadav 4/69)
India – 183 all out in 47.1 overs (Radha Yadav 48, Saima Thakor 29; Sophie Devine 3/27)