In a disheartening start to the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, India faced a significant defeat against New Zealand, losing by 58 runs in Dubai on October 4. Anjum Chopra, former Indian captain and cricket analyst, expressed her views on the match, emphasizing the Indian team’s lack of preparedness and resilience against New Zealand’s aggressive batting.
New Zealand’s Dominance
New Zealand set a challenging target by scoring 160 runs for four wickets after opting to bat first. In response, India struggled to find their footing and were bowled out for just 102 runs. Chopra pointed out that the White Ferns’ attacking approach put immense pressure on the Indian bowlers right from the start.
“India were completely outplayed by New Zealand,” Chopra stated in her analysis. She noted that New Zealand’s captain Sophie Devine made a strategic decision to bat first, which allowed them to dictate the pace of the game. “They kept hitting boundaries one after the other. The attacking approach they adopted, I think the Indian team, especially bowling, wasn’t ready for that,” she added.
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Key Players and Missed Opportunities
Chopra highlighted that Harmanpreet Kaur was India’s top scorer with just 15 runs off 14 balls, illustrating the team’s overall struggle with the bat. She criticized openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana for failing to deliver a strong start, stating, “They have disappointed more than the number of times they have won us matches.”
Despite Asha Sobhana’s commendable bowling performance (1/22 in four overs), Chopra felt it was not enough to counteract Devine’s impressive innings of 57 not out from 36 balls. “The pressure New Zealand put on the Indian team was relentless,” she remarked.
Lack of Resilience
Chopra expressed concern over the Indian batters’ inability to mount any significant resistance during their chase. “No batter looked in the flow to be able to chase runs and come even close to the target,” she noted. This lack of performance at such a crucial stage left both players and fans feeling disappointed.
“This wasn’t expected at all from the Indian team,” Chopra concluded. She emphasized that such performances could have lasting effects on team morale as they move forward in the tournament.
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