New Zealand Wins T20 World Cup, Eyes India Tour for ODI Series
New Zealand has won the T20 World Cup, an impressive achievement following a streak of 10 consecutive losses. Their confidence is soaring after such a remarkable tournament performance. The tournament started with a high when they defeated India by 58 runs in their opening match, and now they have claimed the ultimate prize by winning the World Cup.
Next on New Zealand’s agenda is the Tour of India for a three-match ODI series, starting on October 24. All matches will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This series presents a crucial opportunity for India to address the shortcomings that were evident during the T20 World Cup, while New Zealand will be riding high on confidence, especially given their recent success over India.
In their last ODI series, New Zealand triumphed over India 4-1. Now, with momentum on their side, India faces a significant challenge. The last visiting team to tour India was Australia, and they won the ODI series 3-0, sweeping all three matches at Wankhede Stadium with outstanding performances, particularly from Steve Willisfield, who dominated with the bat.
New Zealand Women’s Tour of India
| No. | Date | Day | Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24th Oct ’24 | Thursday | 1.30 PM IST | ODI | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 2 | 27th Oct ’24 | Sunday | 1.30 PM IST | ODI | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 3 | 29th Oct ’24 | Tuesday | 1.30 PM IST | ODI | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
India will be looking to key players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Deepti Sharma to take responsibility and deliver impactful performances. These senior players have been the backbone of the Indian squad, and the upcoming series offers them a chance to step up not just by scoring big runs, but by making runs that can change the course of a game.
India’s bowling strategy also requires attention. While the spinners have been consistent, the pace attack and fielding will need to improve to stand a chance against a formidable New Zealand team. Rita Ghosh, one of India’s young stars, will be unavailable for the series due to her academic commitments, but Jemimah Rodrigues has been in strong form and will be expected to contribute.
On the New Zealand side, players like Melie Kerr, Georgia Plimmer, Suzie Bates, and Sophie Devine are expected to put pressure on India with their confident performances. Having just won a World Cup, New Zealand will be a tough opponent.
For India, this series is not only a chance to bounce back from recent disappointments but also to build momentum for the upcoming ODI World Cup. A victory against the reigning world champions would provide India with much-needed confidence. Both teams have a lot at stake, but for India, this series offers a critical opportunity to regain form and moraleon home soil.
India’s squad for the three ODI series against New Zealand:
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, D Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Sayali Satgare, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Tejal Hasabnis, Saima Thakor, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil.
