PROVIDENCE, Guyana – Harmanpreet Kaur smashed the first ever century by an Indian women in T20 internationals to help her side crush New Zealand and open their CC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign on a winning note.
Kaur pummelled the New Zealand bowling attack on her way to scoring 103 from just 51 balls, as India posted a mammoth 194 for five off their allotted 20 overs – their second highest total in T20Is.
Despite a fighting half-century from New Zealand opener Suzie Bates, New Zealand only briefly threatened before being limited to 160 for nine off their 20 overs.
With her team struggling at 40 for three in the sixth over, Kaur came to the crease and initially struggled, scoring five runs from her first 13 deliveries.
However, thereafter she upped the ante, needing only a further 20 balls to reach 50.
Together with 18-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues who scored 59, the pair added 134 runs for the fourth wicket – the highest for any wicket for Indian women in T20Is – as the pair mounted a miraculous comeback.
By the time Rodrigues was dismissed in the 19th over, India had already amassed 174. She struck seven boundaries during her 45-ball knock.
Kaur was much more destructive, striking seven fours and eight sixes, before she was eventually dismissed with the penultimate ball of the innings.
Through the efforts of Bates, New Zealand kept pace with the required run rate early on. Together with Anna Peterson, the two put on 50 in an opening stand off six overs.
But once Peterson was dismissed by Dayalan Hemalatha for 14, India’s bowlers struck regularly to keep their opponents on the back foot.
From a breezy position of 52 for one, New Zealand slumped to 93 for four, with Bates being the only real form of resistance.
She brought up her half-century off 38 balls, but fell soon after as her side fell into more trouble at 98 for five.
Katey Martin led a fightback with a belligerent knock of 39, but New Zealand never seriously looked like reaching the target.
Hemalatha was the top Indian bowler taking 3 for 26, while Poonam Yadav took 3 for 33 and Radha Yadav 2 for 31.
SCORES
INDIA 194 for five off 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 103, Jemimah Rodrigues 59; Lea Tahuhu 2-18).
NEW ZEALAND 160 for nine off 20 overs (Suzie Bates 67, Katey Martin 39; Dayalan Hemalatha 3 -26, Poonam Yadav 3-33, Radha Yadav 2-31).
(CMC)