New Zealand captain Sophie Devine was delighted after her team defeated India convincingly by 62 runs in the eighth match of the ongoing ICC Women Cricket World Cup 2022 at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Thursday.
The Kiwis posted a par score of 260 runs after Mithali Raj won the toss and subsequently the hosts were able to skittle out India at 198 to win by a big margin.
Consequently, the White Ferns were able to tick the right boxes in all the departments of the game and came up with a complete performance. Sophie Devine gave a quickfire start to her team as she smashed 35 runs off just 30 balls. Furthermore, Amelia Kerr continued to breathe down the neck of the Indian bowlers as she scored a fifty.
On the other hand, Lee Tahuhu and Amelia Kerr scalped three wickets each whereas Hayley Jensen snared two wickets for New Zealand.
Sophie Devine said in the post-match presentation, “It was a complete performance. We built partnerships throughout, Amelia Kerr and Amy Satterthwaite batted beautifully. The bowling was outstanding, just didn’t give them anything at all. We’ve got variety and options with our attack and it allows us to be flexible. We won the last game but it did get a bit close. Today was a more complete performance and hope we can carry it forward to the next game.”
Meanwhile, Amy Satterthwaite played a match-winning knock for New Zealand as she scored a fine knock of 75 runs off 84 balls with the help of nine fours. Thus, she was awarded the Player of the Match.
Satterthwaite said after the game, “Was an interesting one, certainly patches where I really struggled. We wanted to take it as deep as we could, set up a platform from where we could launch. We probably didn’t quite do as we would’ve liked to but in the end it was enough. Really disappointed with the way I played in that game, probably let them into the game. Wasn’t positive enough and almost brave enough. It’s almost a reflection to go back and look on how I was playing. If I walk off playing the way I want to, regardless of how it went, I can accept that. The timing was there in patches and the bowlers were outstanding, the first 20-odd overs were exceptional, we talked about our starts and we couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
New Zealand will next face Australia in their fourth match of the World Cup at Basin Reserve, Wellington on Sunday.
