Harmanpreet Kaur’s maiden ton powers India to victory in opener

Stand-alone ICC Women’s World T20 tournament…

By Brandon Corlette

India prevailed over New Zealand by 34 runs in the first of three scheduled matches in the stand-alone ICC Women’s World T20 tournament played at the National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara, Guyana.
This victory was orchestrated by Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s superb century, Jemimah Rodrigues’s composed half- century, and three-wicket hauls from spinners Dayalan Hemalatha and Poonam Yadav.
This matchup between India and New Zealand, played in sweltering Guyana sunshine, was a brilliant encounter featuring the likes of Suzie Bates, Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj.
On a spin-friendly Providence wicket, India opted to bat, with opener Taniya Bhatia

and Smriti Mandana at the crease. Off-spinner Jess Watkin was dispatched for a boundary off the first delivery, as Bhatia played an elegant leg-glance to the fine-leg boundary. Bhatia took nine runs off the first over, but was removed in the second by right-arm seamer Lea Tahuhu, being bowled for nine when the ball brushed her front pad and hit the top of off-stump. Tahuhu, continuing her disciplined bowling, removed Mandhana in her second over with the score on 22-2.
The New Zealand white ferns leaked 41 runs in the power-play, but managed to pick up three wickets. Nevertheless, India’s number 3, Mumbai teenage batting sensation Jemimah Rodrigues, and Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, dominated the New Zealand bowlers.
The 18-year-old Rodrigues rotated the strike, but hit the bad deliveries to the boundary when presented opportunity. In contrast, Kaur struck the ball with power and timing as the New Zealand bowlers had no formula for getting the Indian captain’s wicket.
Kaur and Rodrigues put together a 134 run partnership, but the latter fell in the 19th over to Watkin for a well composed 59 from 45 deliveries. Off just 49 balls, Indian Captain Kaur brought up her century off a Sophie Devine half-volley, but was removed in the 20th over — after she had already led her team to a daunting 194-5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Tahuhu was the pick of the White Ferns’ bowlers with 2-18 from three overs. Watkin and Devine grabbed one wicket each.
The New Zealand explosive opening duo of Suzy Bates and Anna Peterson made a brilliant start to the run chase, compiling 50 runs in the first six overs. In the seventh over, Peterson (14) was out caught, giving debutant Hemalatha her first T20I wicket.
Suzie Bates, meanwhile, continued her destructive batting. She, however, lost three batting partners as she stood at the non-striker’s end witnessing her teammates’ demise. The wicket-taking Indian leg-spinner Poonam Yadav was introduced, and she grabbed the prize wicket of Devine, and struck again when she bowled Jess Watkin for a golden duck.
Captain Amy Satterthwaite occupied the crease for a brief moment, but was removed for 3 by the debutant Hemalatha.
Continuing to play enterprising strokes, Suzie Bates brought up her half-century in 39 balls, in process becoming the leading run scorer in Women’s T20 Internationals with an amassed 3000 runs.
The 14th over was bowled by opening bowler Arundhati Reddy, who returned for her second spell. She removed Suzie Bates, who had scored a responsible 67 from 50 balls, including 8 classy boundaries.
At 98-5 in the 14th over, when the required run rate was way out of reach, New Zealand wicket-keeper/batter Katey Martin showed character as she played a fighting knock of 39 from 25 balls, inclusive of 8 timely fours. It was, however, too late for the White Ferns, as the Indian bowlers had already restricted the target beautifully.
Off-spinners Dayalan Hemalatha and Poonam Yadav were the pick of the Indian bowlers, with three wickets each.