New Zealand women beat India by 23 runs in 1st T20I in Wellington

India women lost the first T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand by 23 runs after they were all out for 136 runs while chasing at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Wednesday. Smriti Mandhana scored a fifty and earned a record but that was not enough as the other failed to rise up to the occasion and India lost the match marginally.

Two of India's batsmwomen got out for a duck while only three (Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur) managed to reach double figures as India were outclassed.

Lea Tahuhu was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand as she returned with figures of 3 for 20. Leigh Kasperek (2 for 25) and Amelia Kerr (2 for 28) also starred with the ball for the White Ferns.

Smriti Mandhana smacked a fifty in just 24 deliveries to record the fastest half



century in the shortest format by an Indian woman. This was Mandhana's seventh T20I fifty as India were chasing a target of 160.
Mandhana eventually fell for 58 runs off 34 deliveries in the 12th over. Youngster Jemimah Rodrigues who supported Mandhana well from the other side fell in the 12th over for 39 off 33 deliveries.

After Mandhana and Rodrigues's wickets, the hopes were pinned on star player and captain Harmanpreet but after scoring 17 off 15, she was stumped out and India could never gain ground after that.

Earlier, Sophie Devine hit 62 and captain Amy Satterthwaite scored 33 as New Zealand posted a total if 159/4 in their quota of 20 overs.