Harmanpreet Kaur’s India beat Sophie Devine’s New Zealand by 53 runs to become the fourth and final team to qualify for the semifinals of the Women’s ODI World Cup, even as they faced a hat-trick of roadblocks in what should have been smooth sailing into the top four of a home World Cup.
Batting first, India posted 340/3 in 49 overs in a rain-curtailed game, riding on centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, besides a brilliant 76-run knock from Jemimah Rodrigues.
In the chase, New Zealand lost Suzie Bates in just the second over before Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr added 50 runs for the second wicket. New Zealand soon found themselves at 59/3, before Kerr and Brooke Halliday added 56 runs for the fourth wicket.
After Kerr was dismissed by Sneh Rana, Hallida