New Zealand will host India for the first ODI of the five-match series at Queenstown on Saturday. This will be the final preparation series before the World Cup for both sides. With very few international matches in last couple of years due to the pandemic, this is a great opportunity for both teams to get vital match practice and fine-tune their strategies.
New Zealand won the solitary T20 International by 18 runs. Their top five batters all got starts and contributed. The experienced Suzie Bates top-scored with 36, while Lea Tahuhu slammed a 14-ball 27 before taking 1-27. Her late burst took New Zealand’s score beyond 150. Without Smriti Mandhana, the Indian batting fell short despite contributions from S. Meghana, playing her first international match after five years.
India will Mandhana here as well, along with pacers Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh, as their quarantine period has been extended. Yastika Bhatia opened in Mandhana’s absence in the T20I, and should continue to do so in first ODI, alongside Shafali Verma. Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh will form the middle order.
Like Raj, Jhulan Goswami will return as well, to spearhead the attack. Her responsibilities will be magnified in the absence of Meghna and Renuka. Partnering her with the new ball will be Pooja Vastrakar, while Poonam Yadav, Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad will handle spin.
New Zealand do not have quarantine issues, and have their entire team at their disposal. With so many key all-rounders in the squad, captain Sophie Devine can experiment as she did with Tahuhu by sending her at No. 5 for the first time. The all-round skills of Devine herself, Suzie Bates, and Amelia Kerr provide New Zealand with balance.
New Zealand won the last ODI between the two sides, in 2019. Anna Peterson and Tahuhu were the stars with the ball that day. Peterson has retired, but Jess Kerr and Hannah Rowe are able replacements, as they demonstrated with their performance in T20I.
Likely XIs
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Katey Martin, Lea Tahuhu, Hayley Jansen, Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe.
India: Yastika Bhatia, Shafali Verma, Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.
Fantasy Tips
- The openers – Bhatia, Verma, Bates, Devine – all looked in good touch in the T20I. Bates and Devine also bowl.
- Amelia Kerr, Tahuhu, and Sharma will be the key all-rounders. Along with Ghosh, they are good picks.
- Even at 39, Goswami looked threatening in Australia, and is still India’s top bowler. She along, with Jess Kerr and Rowe, should be popular bowling picks.
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Fantasy XI
Richa Ghosh, Suzie Bates, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Sophie Devine (c), Amelia Kerr (vc), Deepti Sharma, Jhulan Goswami, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe.