The Player of the Match, to no one’s surprise, is captain Harmanpreet Kaur who smashed India’s first women’s T20I century. Her 103 off 51 is India’s highest T20I score as well.

Comprehensive win for India to start the tournament, both in terms of margin for Net Run Rate and momentum. They next play Pakistan on Sunday followed by Ireland and Australia, and this performance will help settle any nerves there were.

On the triple-header opening day, Australia and Pakistan will play each other shortly.

India beat New Zealand by 34 runs in the first match of the ICC Women’’s World T20.

Wickets!

In the last over, Radha Yadav gets her name in the wickets column as Deepti Sharma takes another superb catch in the outfield to dismiss Kasperek (19) and Bhatia stumps Jensen (1). All formalities as India go back with a big win in the opener.

Wicket!

Katey Martin’s cameo comes to an end as she is lofts a flighted delivery straight to Harmanpreet at cover, giving Poonam her third wicket. Despite being in a losing cause, her 39 off 25 balls has been a solid knock for the bruised Whiter Ferns. NZ 151/7 after 19

Been a mixed outing for Poonam Yadav – three crucial wickets but went for some runs too. 4/33 in her four overs.

End of 18 overs, NZ 137/6, need 58 from 12 balls

And here we have it, the first DRS review at this and any World T20. Martin is caught behind off Reddy, or so everyone believes. Harman calls for a review but the third umpire finds daylight between and bat and ball and the DRS call is wasted.

End of Over 17, NZ 129/6

Two more boundaries in the over for Martin as she is keeping New Zealand’s NRR afloat. 10 runs off the Deepti Sharma over but 66 runs required from 18 balls

End of Over 16, NZ 119/6

Katey Martin is swinging the willow in a last-ditch effort to take White Ferns closer (and help the Net Run rate) as she scores back-to-back boundaries off Poonam Yadav. 76 runs required from 24 balls.

Wicket!

This is a procession now as Hemalatha gets her third wicket. Not a bad lofted shot from Maddy Green but Deepti Sharma runs in to complete a diving, one-handed catch. Solid effort from the youngster as New Zealand lose their sixth wicket. At 111/6 after 15 overs, they need 84 more from 30 deliveries.

Wicket! Key dismissal this!

Pace does the trick against the well-set Bates. Reddy is brought back into the attack she sends down low full-toss that Bates can’t get under. Instead of a bog hit, she cuts it tamely to Hemalatha at backward point and walks back on 67 off 50, taking White Ferns’s chances with her in all likelihood. NZ 98/5

Wicket!

Hemalatha strikes again, dismissing the NZ captain Sattherthwaite on a stuttering 3 off 9. She plays a sweep but neither her bat nor her back are in it and the balls goes straight to Veda at square leg. Soft dismissal, even as Bates keeps the fight at the other end. Martin in the next batter in.

NZ 93/4, need 102 from 44 balls.

Fifty for Suize Bates!

After a brief stutter, Bates guides the ball for another boundary and brings up her half century in 38 balls. In the process, she becomes the leading run scorer in T20I cricket. New Zealand 81/3 after 11

Wicket and wicket!

Poonam, the highest T20I wicket taker in 2018, strikes twice in her second over. Two in two as she first outfoxes Devine and then produces a neat one to get Watkins stumped. Devine walks back on 9 as she fails to get her bat on a tossed-up ball that sails to short cover and is followed by Watkin on a duck as the spin gets past her bat straight to Bahtia’s waiting gloves.

4 runs and 2 wickets in that over, might just be the tipping point for New Zealand, who are 74/3 at the halfway mark.

End of Over 9, NZ 70/0

Hemalatha is back and continues to bowl a nice line. But big-hitting Devine hits her for the first six of the New Zealand innings, reading the ball and dispatching it over mid wicket. 9 runs off the over.

End of Over 8, NZ 61/0

Poonam Yadav, India’s premier spinner, gets the ball and goes for 7 runs. Bates is playing spin really well here; case in point: the boundary a shot where she made enough outside off to fit another batter and then eased the ball through through square leg. That’s experience!

Wicket!

Debutant Hemalatha gets the breakthrough in just her third ball in T20 internationals. Harman takes a gamble and gives the 24-year-old the ball, which works. An off-break delivery with a hint of spin turning in, kisses the bat and goes straight to the keeper. Credit to Taniya Bhatia here, who pouches it with soft, safe hands. Peterson departs on 14 off 12 and in walks the devastating Sophie Devine. NZ 54/1 after 7 overs

End of the Powerplay and New Zealand are steady at 51/0

White Ferns start the challenging chase in the best possible manner, amassing 51 runs in the Powerplay without any loss or unnecessary risks. Bates and Peterson have found the gaps and dispatched every loose ball for runs.

End of Over 5, NZ 40/0:

Bates continues her strong start as she manoeuvers Sharma for 7 runs as she moves to 30 off 22. Smart cricket from the veteran here, keeping her team in the game from the start.

End of Over 4, NZ 33/0:

two more fours as boundaries come more easily now as Bates, the top-ranked T20I batter, uses the Powerplay well to keep the scoreboard ticking at a healthy rate.

End of Over 3, NZ 22/0:

Spin from both ends now as Deepti Sharma comes in. Good line from her but NZ take her for 9 runs with Bates finding the gap. DRS made its appearance as well, for a run out call at the bowler’s end which turned out to be a false alarm.

End of Over 2, NZ 13/0:

Spin from the other end as 18-year-old Radha Yadav bowls a much better over to give away only 2 runs. This is the line India will be going for.

End of Over 1, NZ 11/0:

World No 1 T20I batter Bates starts the massive chase with a boundary with Peterson creaming the last ball for four as well. A good start.

Time for New Zealand’s chase, Suzie Bates and Anna Peterson to open, Reddy with the new ball. With a required run rate of almost 10, can the White Ferns build their innings here?

India finish on 194/5

Harmanpreet is dismissed on the penultimate ball as Devine gets her caught behind on 103 off 51. But the damage was already done. Lovely gesture by the White Ferns as they acknowledge the Indian captain’s knock as she walks back.

A dot to end what has been a cracking innings, but New Zealand will not celebrate much as they have the task cut out in a massive chase of 195.

The perfect way to start the first standalone Women’s World T20, right?

HUNDRED FOR HARMANPREET!

What an innings from the Indian captain, sensational! India’s first Women’s T20I ton comes,, fittingly from Harmanpreet, in just 49 balls. First 13 balls: 5 runs Next 20 balls: 45 runs Next 16 balls: 51 runs.

Harmanpreet becomes the first Indian woman to score a hundred in T20 Internationals and what a way to get the record – Coming in at No 4 after losing 3 wickets in the Powerplay, settling in and then unleashing the monster hits!

Does the wicket trouble Harmanpreet, though? No way!

Pushing the envelope like she does, Harman moves to 97 off 47 balls as she absolutely wallops back-to-back, massive, almost-identical sixes to end the over. That brings up her eighth maximum and a chance for another record. One over to go, India 187/4 after 19.

Wicket!

Stumped! Rodrigues’s rampage comes to an end on 59 off 45 balls. Watkin gets the breakthrough with a ball that stays low and slips below the bat as the teen goes for a big swing. Keeper Katey Martin comes in quick and takes the bails off to end the record partnership.

End of Over 18, 172/3

Can’t stop them now! No matter what field Satterthwaite sets, these two are finding the gaps and the overhead shots for boundaries. Kerr is now hit for 17 runs as Harman pounces on the easy deliveries and dispatching them all over.

The partnership is now worth 132, the highest for India in all T20I matches. Record-breaking!

Fifty for Jemimah Rodrigues!

What an innings from the teenager as she went from sedate to smashing, providing the foil to her captain while taking her chances with her superb stroke-making. She moves on 51 off 40 as Harman wallops two more boundaries to make it 15 runs off the Jensen over.

This is a an exhibition of T20 batting now!

End of Over 16, 140/3

That’s the 100-run partnership between Harman and Rodrigues and what an over to get there as the captain clobbers a four and a six off Kasperek to add to the fireworks. Each shot Harman plays seems more crisp and delightful than the last. After bailing India out, this is now domination.

Fifty for Harmanpreet!

The captain makes it count as she reaches her half-century in 33 balls. Remember, she was 5 off 13 balls as she focused on foundation after India lost 3 early wickets.
But once she got going, she has rebuilt the innings to take India out of a real spot of bother and put them in a comfortable position. She has hit four sixes and three fours so far, scoring 45 off the next 20 balls and not allowing any White Ferns bowler to settle.

India 124/3 after 15 overs

End of Over 14, 116/3

New Zealand captain Satterthwaite brings herself into the attack and India captain Harmanpreet turns on monster-hitting mode.
First, she smacks a full toss over long-on for siz and then hits a sweet, middle-of-the-willow loft straight down the ground for the shot of the match so far. Non-sriker Rodrigues was delighted with the effort, as is everyone who is watching it.
What clean striking! A four to end the over as India milk it for 18 runs.

End of Over 13, India 98/3

Kerr, with her variations, does not seem to trouble the set Indian pair so much as they get 7 off the over.

End of Over 12, India 91/3

Rodrigues, who is well settled now, looking good in the Tahuhu over with a picture-perfect boundary off the second ball as she shapes up a clean hit over midwicket. India will need a lot more of these from the teenager who is currently on 35 (off 29)

Harmanpreet follows it with a nice slice through the off-side to bring up the 50-run partnership, off just 37 balls as 10 runs come off the over.

End of Over 11, India 81/3

After a brief medical time out, Harman is back on her feet as the Kasperek over goes for 5.

Uh-oh, Harmanpreet is down! After running two, she calls for medical assistance clutching her belly. The Indian physio is treating the captain now. Sunny day in Guyana getting her or something worse?

Six! Harmanpreet, fittingly, scores the first six of the 20128 World T20. Watkin is back into the attack and her second ball gives the Indian enough room to come down and smash it over one-side for maximum. For good measure, the last ball of the over is also clubbed for a six as Harman moves to 20 off just 17 balls. Watkin not having a good day, 16 runs off the over after giving away 9 in her first.

At the halfway mark in the innings, India 76/3

End of Over 9, India 60/3

A loose ball to start with from Kerr and Rodrigues smacks the full toss for four. A much more sedate over after that as India get 8 off the over. Harmanpreet, on 5 off 12, looks set enough to start taking risks now.

End of Over 8, India 52/3

Pacer Sophie Devine comes into the attack and is takes for a rather lucky four off the first ball by Rodrigues. 7 runs off the over, despite a little bit of miscommunication between the two. This is a crucial stand for India as they look to rebuild.

End of Over 7, India 45/3

Leg spinner Amelia Kerr, one of the rising stars of world cricket, comes in to bowl and gives away just four.

An eventful powerplay!
Two 4s in the 1st over.
A wicket & a non-review for a LBW in the 2nd.

Another non-review for LBW in the 3rd.
A stunning catch in the 4th.
Two 4s in the 5th.
The umpire hit on arm & a wicket in the 6th.

Time for Harmanpreet Kaur, finally, at No 5. Can she bring some stability to India’s innings here after the carnage in the Powerplay?

Wicket!

The third India wickets is down as Hemalatha’s debut innings come to a rather soft end on 15 off 7 balls. Kasperek offers a full-toss outside off and the Indians, caught in an awkward spot across off, responds with a wide sweep and can only watch as the ball sails to Tahuhu at short fine leg. India 41/3 at the end of Powerplay.

End of Over 5, India 33/2:

Jensen comes in to bowl, high on the adrenaline after her stunning catch in the last over.

But debutant Hemalatha, who walked in at No 4, to the surprise of many, doesn’t let her settle and scores back-to-back boundaries to get 13 off the over.

It’s a young pair for India in the middle – 18-year-old Rodrigues in her 15th match and Hemalatha, 24, in her first. Can they rebuild for India after the early stutter?

Wicket! It’s a big one.

What a catch! A brilliant, brilliant catch from Hayley Jensen ends Mandhana’s run on 2 off 7.

The ball is short and outside off and Mandhana offers a pull, which looked good enough. But for Jensen who takes a leaping blinder at the midwicket boundary, which could well be among the top catches of the World T20.

Mandhana’s first outing ends without much of a mark, but not much she can do when she was first out plumb and then up against such fielding. Tahuhu gets her second wicket in as many overs, India 24/2 after 4 overs

End of Over 3, India 17/1:

Watkin is replaced by off-spinner Leigh Kasperek in the third over, who bowls a neat line to give away only 3 runs. Another big shout off the last ball of the over, this time with the dangerous Mandhana on crease, but no DRS calls yet.

Rodrgiues, in the last over, was shown to be out plumb in the earlier over. Now, a reprieve for her betting partner as well. Can they make it count?

End of Over 2, India 14/1:

Two loud appeals in the over for LBW but Rodrigues survives both. Note: This World T20 is the first with DRS available. But the one wicket from Tahuhu has given the White Ferns the start they wanted as India score only 5 in the over with the No 3 bat facing all balls.

Wicket!

Lea Tahuhu comes in from the other end and strikes on the very first ball. Bhatia, after her good start, is done in with the length as she lets a fuller ball slip through her guard and crash into the stumps. New Zealand pull back at once with pace. She walks back on 9 off 6, as Jemimah Rodrigues in at No 3.

End of Over 1, India 9/0:

Bhatia gives India a flying start with two boundaries off the first three balls. A deft boundary off the first ball, a neat pull next as she tackles the openeing spin with her wrists as India end the over with nine runs.

Smriti Mandhana and Taniya Bhatia to open the batting for India while off-spinner Jess Watkins has the new ball for New Zealand.

8.30 PM: National anthems done, it’s time for the ICC Women’s World T20 to begin!

8.20 PM: Batting first, India’s chances will hinge to a large extent on the start they get from opener Smriti Mandhana.

The new, power-hitting dimension in the left-hander’s batting could prove to be among the biggest factors for India at the Women’s World T20. Read more.

8.15 PM: This is how the 10 teams are divided into two groups. One look at Group B tells you this India vs New Zealand match could well be a virtual quarter-final!

Playing XIs:

India: Smriti Mandhana, Taniya Bhatia (W), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Dayalan Hemalatha, Mithali Raj, Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav.

New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Anna Peterson, Sophie Devine, Amy Satterthwaite (C), Katey Martin (W), Maddy Green, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Watkin, Hayley Jensen, Amelia Kerr, Lea Tahuhu.

8.00 PM: Toss time!

India have won the toss and they will bat first. “The pitch is good to bat on and later on the pitch will be on the slower side. We are playing with four spinners, so...,” says captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

India are playing four spinners with just the one medium pacer in the playing XI.

7.55 PM: As we wait for the toss in India’s World T20 opener, why don’t you give our quiz a go. How well do you know the Indian women’s cricket team’s history?

7.45 PM: The first standalone Women’s World T20, from November 9 to 24, will see India fight it out in a format they have not traditionally done well in what is perhaps the most competitive field.

Here’s a handy guide to the schedule and timings of the tournament in West Indies.

Data Check: How much has each team played since 2017 Women’s World Cup? As the game’s profile increased did game time rise with it?
The answer is yes and at the forefront is India with most international matches played from August 20117 to October 2018.

Read: Ahead of ICC Women’s World T20, a look at how much cricket each team has played since WC

Just In: Indian all-rounder Dayalan Hemalatha will be making her T20I debut against New Zealand today.

7.35 PM: This is the first standalone Women’s World T20 ( the previous women’s World T20 editions, which coincided with the men’s) and it has already made history by becoming the first World Twenty20 event to have the Decision Review System (DRS) using ball-tracking and edge detection technology.

All the matches of this year’s World T20 will be broadcast live in more than 200 countries around the world, unlike last year’s World Cup where certain matches were not produced for TV.

Read more.

7.30 PM: Hello and welcome to the Live blog of the ICC Women’s World T20 opener. World Cup runners-up India take on New Zealand.

India are on a high after winning three of their warm up games and will look to start their campaign on the front foot, as they did at the 2017 World Cup. But New Zealand, powered by Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and skipper Amy Satterthwaite, will be a challenging side to start with.

A lot will depend on how India play the White Ferns in their opener in Guyana. In the 50-over World Cup, India’s shock win over England in the first match had set the tone for their dreeam run.

If Harmanpreet Kaur and Co can start on the right note, the momentum will make it easy to beat Pakistan and Ireland, with the final group clash against Australia being the biggest worry.