Follow UsThe Indian women's cricket team produced one of their most dominant performances with the bat in recent times to post a mammoth 270 runs in the first innings, their highest against New Zealand in the history of the fifty-over format.
However, the visitors failed to defend the target courtesy of the inexperience in the bowling unit after resting Jhulan Goswami for the match.
Despite a stiff total on the board, the Indian side leaked runs in the middle overs as Amelia Kerr, and Maddy Green stitched a 128-run stand for the fourth wicket to swing the match in favour of the home team.
While Green contributed with a well-compiled half-century, it was Amelia Kerr's masterclass of an unbeaten 119 off 135 deliveries studded with seven boundaries to anchor a tense run chase and seal a three-wicket win.
Harmanpreet's dismal run with the bat
After electing to bat first, the opening combination of Shafali Verma and S Meghana forged a crucial 61-run partnership to lay a solid foundation for the side. However, with wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs, the visiting side were tottering at 135 runs for the loss of four wickets, including the big wicket of Harmanpreet Kaur.
Despite a flurry of wickets in the middle overs, Mithali Raj and Richa Ghosh consolidated the innings by accumulating the ones and twos before launching an attack on the opposition bowling unit.
The youngster smashed her maiden half-century (64 off 65 deliveries) and stitched a valuable stand of 108 runs for the third wicket with the skipper. Coming into this game after scoring a valiant half-century, Mithali continued her sublime form with the bat to score an unbeaten 66 and propel the side to 270 runs for the loss of six wickets in their first innings.
Young guns shine for the White Ferns
In reply, New Zealand got off to a horrendous start as they lost three of their experienced players, Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite were dismissed with only 55 runs on the board.
With the spinners dominating proceedings, the Indian team looked firmly in control to level the five-match series. However, Amelia and Green had other ideas as they displayed batting of the highest calibre to guide the team with a 124-run partnership.
Despite the dismissal of Green, Amelia continued to anchor the innings and absorb all the pressure in a high-scoring run chase. While she was handed reprieves by the Indian fielders, the 21-year old made optimum use of the inexperienced bowling attack to notch up her second ODI hundred.
With the game going all the way down to the wire as 14 runs were needed off the final two overs, it was Harmanpreet Kaur with the ball for the India side. However, the off-spinner was punished by the Kerr sisters for bowling too short and wide outside the off stumps as the duo smashed 14 runs to seal the game with an over to spare and go 2-0 up in the series.
The two sides will lock horns in the third ODI on Friday, 18th February, at the same venue, and the Women in Blue would hope for the return of Smriti Mandhana, who inexplicably remains in extended quarantine.
(With inputs from PTI)