Skipper Mithali Raj’s well-crafted half-century went in vain as India lost the first One-Day International against New Zealand by 62 runs in Queenstown on Saturday.
Opting to bowl, New Zealand rode on a splendid Suzie Bates century (106 off 111 balls) to score a challenging 275 and India were all-out for 213 in 49.4 overs.
New Zealand vs India, 1st ODI as it happened: Mithali’s knock in vain as White Ferns win by 62 runs
India in their last ODI recorded their highest-ever run chase of 265 set by Australia in September last year, a win that had ended their rivals’ 26-match winning streak.
The 39-year-old Mithali, playing her 221st ODI, continued her impressive form in the format – she has scored seven fifties in the last 11 innings in ODIs – to keep India in the hunt with a 73-ball 59 (6x4).
Mithali also joined Charlotte Edwards in making 1,000 runs against four different teams – Australia, England, Sri Lanka and New Zealand – in ODI cricket.
She also became the first Indian to reach 1,000 women’s ODI runs against New Zealand.
India had earlier lost the one-off T20I by 18 runs in their series opener on February 9. The second ODI of the five-match series will be played at the same venue on Tuesday.
Inputs from PTI