India women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur returned into the team for the second ODI against New Zealand on Sunday, October 27 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Notably, Harmanpreet missed the first ODI of the series due to a niggle as Smriti Mandhan filled in her place as the team’s skipper.
The second ODI will mark the return for Harmapreet after India’s disappointing show in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 where they were knocked out in the group stage itself. Apart from her, India handed debut cap to wrist spinner Priya Mishra who recently impressed with a five-wicket haul for India A on the tour to Australia.
She registered figures of 5/14 in five overs to help her team defend the score of 243/9 and win the match by 171 runs. The team management decided to bench Dayalan Hemalatha and Renuka Singh to accommodate Harmanpreet and Priya in the playing XI.
New Zealand also made a couple of changes to their playing XI as they brought in Fran Jonas and Lea Tahuhu in place of Melie Kerr and Molly Penfold. Kerr, who recently finished as the highest wicket taker of the Women’s T20 World Cup with a record highest 15 wickets and was adjudged Player of the Tournament, suffered a quadriceps tear which has ruled her out for the entire series.
India won first ODI by 59 runs
The White Ferns didn’t have a memorable start to the series as they lost the first ODI by 59 runs after failing to chase down the target of 228. Kerr was the shining star for the visitors with figures of 4/42 in nine overs with the ball and also scored an unbeaten 25* (23).
Meanwhile, New Zealand will be eager to bounce back in the series in the second ODI as captain Sophie Devine won the toss and elected to bat first. On the other hand, India will be eager to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with another clinical victory.
India Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia(w), Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Saima Thakor, Priya Mishra
New Zealand Women (Playing XI): Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Lauren Down, Sophie Devine(c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze(w), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas
