Women's Cricket World Cup 2022: Batting a concern as New Zealand punish risk-averse India

India went into the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 with their bowling looking like their Achille’s heel. With only one established pacer, Jhulan Goswami, in their ranks and the spinners struggling to take wickets consistently, the batters were the ones expected to spearhead India’s campaign at the mega event.

Two games into their campaign, India’s batting (especially the top and middle order) has come a cropper, putting Mithali Raj and Co in a position where all of their remaining matches are nothing less than a do-or-die contest.

Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana’s world record 122-run stand for the seventh wicket bailed India out of trouble against Pakistan in their campaign opener after a disappointing batting failure. Against New Zealand, on Thursday, India suffered yet another batting failure and in the absence of a rescue act this time, they succumbed to a massive 62-run defeat .

The most disappointing thing being, 261 looked like a pretty chaseable target on the Seddon Park pitch after the Indian bowlers did exceedingly well in the death overs to restrict the White Ferns to a below-par score. At 211/4 in 40 overs, the hosts looked destined for a 280-plus total but eventually finished on 260/9. India had decided to bat second to make use of the conditions and dew and everything was going according to the plan, up until the chase began.

Baffling strategy

With Shafali Verma dropping to the bench, young Yastika Bhatia was asked to open for the first time in her brief ODI career, alongside Smriti Mandhana. Deepti Sharma, who has been part of the middle-order for the last three years, is already back at the No 3 spot and that made for three left-handers at the top for India. Even in the middle of a World Cup, the batting experiment continues for India

New Zealand were quick to latch onto the opportunity by bringing in off-spinner Frances Mackay from the very first over. The matchup worked in the hosts’ favour as the openers struggled to get going. Mackay conceded just seven runs in her first spell of four overs. The increasing number of the dot balls had its impact immediately as Mandhana got out playing a weak lofted shot to the extra-cover. Deepti soon got out to Lea Tahuhu (3/17) who had an excellent match, posing a number of questions to the India batters with her tight line, short balls and variety of cutters.

Mithali and Bhatia then put on a partnership of 24 but it came in 55 balls. Mithali and Harmanpreet Kaur’s partnership of 47 runs was forged in 63 balls. Richa Ghosh went for a duck. And New Zealand had a Test match field for Sneh Rana when she came out bat on what was a hat-trick ball for Amelia Kerr.

#NZvIND

After 10 overs: 51-1 | 26-2
After 20 overs: 117-2 | 50-3
After 30 overs: 158-3 | 101-5
After 40 overs: 211-4 | 140-6
End of innings: 260-9 | 198-10

Problematic.#TeamNewZealand #TeamIndia #CWC22

— Yash Jha (@jhayash) March 10, 2022

Sadly, it was not the only time the White Ferns employed a Test match field in the match. India’s inability to rotate the strike and risk-averse batting had the opposition opting for close-in fielders as batters struggled to find the gaps and the count of dot balls mounted. In total, India played out a staggering 156 dot balls in their 280-ball innings.

Harmanpreet did provide some late spark with powerful shots over the cow corner in an innings of 71 off 63 but it was too little too late with others failing to support her in the chase. Harmanpreet’s attacking knock also begs the question, is No 5 the right batting spot for her? Should India not promote her to No 4, so that she could help them deal with their jaded bating approach.

Bowlers impress in death overs

Onto the positives now. India’s inability to control the proceeding in the death overs saw them lose two close encounters in the ODI series against New Zealand just before the World Cup. The lack of a pace bowling partner for Goswami has been a major concern for the Indian unit but on Wednesday, Vastrakar took the responsibility on her shoulders.

In her last spell of six consecutive overs, the right-arm pacer conceded just 19 besides picking up three crucial wickets including that of top-scorer Amy Satterthwaite (75). The most impressive part was the barrage of full and yorker deliveries from Vastrakar and Goswami that put a brake on New Zealand’s scoring rate.

One such yorker also helped legendary Goswami to clean up Katey Martin in the final over to equal the record for most wickets in Women’s World Cup history.

This was India’s sixth defeat in seven matches to New Zealand in a little over one month’s time and has impacted their chances of reaching the semi-finals. The good thing is it is still early days in the competition. India still have five matches to go in the round-robin stage before their fate is decided. The next one though is in less than 48 hours’ time. Time to pull up their socks.

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