Preview: Pride will drive India in the final T20I?

Maithilee Shetty

09 Feb 2019

New Update

New Zealand clinch the series in a thriller against India — Suzie Bates in action. ©Getty Images

Date: 10 February 2019

Venue: Seddon Park, Hamilton

The limited overs series is always taken as a battle of the world’s best sides. New Zealand has taken up their Hamilton ODI momentum and converted into a series-winning performance to win the series. It’s time India stops appearing slightly amateurish and rusty against a clinical Kiwis as has happened for the most parts in the T20I series.

Although India’s T20I side is still in progress, it’s time to change their approach. Their plans, punches and crosses haven’t affected New Zealand’s performance, who has been bowling terrifically and batting determined to strip India off 3-0 and seal the series. But the guests did manage counter attack with a few blows by Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana.

In the first T20I, the hosts comfortably triumphed India by 23 runs, while the touring side lost again in a nail-biting encounter in the second one in a last-ball win to steal the series. The bowlers did a commendable job covering up for the fallen batting in the earlier day. India’s batting has been too dependable on Mandhana and Rodrigues which led to India to lose 9 wickets for 34 runs in the first T20I. Harmanpreet Kaur, the skipper whose form and captaincy is starting to make questions make it worst.

White Ferns have bagged the series and now seek to seal it with a win to avenge the ODI series loss on their home turf.

Conditions: Hamilton has proven to be a game changer for New Zealand. The pitch is flat and short boundaries, might change the course of the series yet again.

Who said what:

“There is no doubt New Zealand play better cricket more than us. More than winning and losing it’s a learning process for us.”– Harmanpreet Kaur

“It’s not ideal for Amy and me to get out as senior players. Just so good to see Hannah Rowe and Lea Kasperek finish like that. The really loud crowd and amazing atmosphere pleased (us). I was kicking myself for not staying till the last but it's always easy when you get a win.” – Suzie Bates

Probable XI:

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia(w), Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Anuja Patil, Mansi Joshi, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey

New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Caitlin Gurrey, Amy Satterthwaite(c), Katey Martin (w), Leigh Kasperek, Hannah Rowe, Amelia Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair, Anna Peterson

India Smriti Mandhana New Zealand WHITE FERNS Harmanpreeet Kaur