India will aim to keep their unbeaten streak alive and inch closer to a semi-final berth when they take on New Zealand in a blockbuster clash at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Melbourne on Thursday. Harmanpreet Kaur and Co will hope to repeat the heroics that saw them stun the White Ferns in the opening match of the previous World T20 in 2018.
The Indians have enjoyed two strong wins to begin the tournament – by 17 runs against defending champions Australia and by 18 runs against Bangladesh – taking four points from two matches in Group A. They lead the five-team standings in what is the ‘Group of Death’, with three of the top four teams in the format.
A win against New Zealand on Thursday will take the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side on the threshold of a knock-out stage spot, to be competed among top two teams from Group A and B.
However, unbeaten India won’t find it easy against higher-ranked New Zealand. They face an in-form team, who have lost just one of their last nine T20I matches. While a win over world No 1 Australia gave them a huge boost, a win over New Zealand will put India firmly in the favourites place.
The White Ferns have a better head-to-head record against India in recent years, having won the last three matches between the two sides. Exactly a year ago, they had beaten India 3-0 in a three-match T20 International home series.
India will, however, take encouragement from the last time these two teams met at the T20 World Cup – a memorable 34-run win in 2018. Harmanpreet had struck a stunning 103 to lead her side to victory in the opening game of the tournament in West Indies. That start had helped India finish the group stages unbeaten, including a win over Australia, to reach the semi-finals.
Harmanpreet and Co will hope for a similar performance on Thursday. In the two matches so far, the Indian team has been steady with both bat and ball. While the bowling unit has been clinical while defending twice, the batting has not really set the stage on fire and it is an area they will look to improve on in Melbourne.
The 16-year-old sensation Shafali Verma has been the standout batter with a whirlwind 17-ball 39 against Bangladesh, following an equally destructive 29 against Australia. Coming in at No 3, Jemmiah Rodrigues has also been among the runs with 26 and 34 in the two matches so far. Deepti Sharma playing a major role against Australia with an unbeaten 49 while Veda Krishnamurthy hit a match-defining 11-ball 20 not out for a late flourish against Bangladesh.
However captain Harmanpreet, among the top-order batters, has not scored big and she is due a big innings after two rash shots to be dismissed in the first two games. India will also wait on the fitness of Smriti Mandhana, who missed the match against Bangladesh due to viral fever.
The bowling department has been led by seasoned leg-spinner Poonam Yadav with seven wickets in the first two matches with pacer Shikha Pandey supporting her with five.
New Zealand boast of the some of the best players in the format. They are lead by Sophie Devine who is in imperious form was the top performer at the Women’s Big Bash League and the Super Smash, New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition. Suzie Bates is the world No 1 batter in T20I cricket followed by Devine.
In the bowling, they have Lea Tahuhu who is one of the fastest bowlers in the world and will pose a different challenge to Verma with her pace. Leg-spinner Amelia Kerr will also be a threat to the Indian middle order.
The two-time runners up will go into this match after a commanding seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday. Devine had led her side from the front with an unbeaten 75 off 55 balls at the top of the order in that win.
The match starts at 9.30 AM IST