Macgill’s Magic: New Zealand Women Triumph in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Opener
A powerful batting display by New Zealand women's cricket team ended a string of ten successive defeats, leading to an emphatic victory in their first ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match against India. New Zealand tallied a healthy 160 for 4 in the 20 overs game, thanks to skipper Sophie Devine's explosive knock of 57 not out off 36 balls. The match set-up was courtesy of the New Zealand openers, launching the innings with a sturdy start.
Right after winning the toss and deploying New Zealand to bat first, the openers immediately seized the moment. Suzie Bates manipulated Pooja Vastrakar's lengths, benefitting from two boundaries in the starting over and thereby setting the pace of the game. Bates' partner Georgia Plimmer swiftly followed suit, driving and lofting Deepti Sharma for a four and six in her first over.
Despite the Indian side trying to regain stride, New Zealand retained their dominance, propelled by the constant pushing for boundaries during the powerplay, generating a beneficial flow of runs. The New Zealand openers managed to stack up 55 runs inside the powerplay, imposing a sense of unease on the Indian side.
Sophie Devine solidified New Zealand's position by settling in before coming out all guns blazing. Despite a controversial run-out call that caused a heated debate, Devine remained unperturbed, and reached her half-century in the last over, thus aiding her team to a winning total. India’s feeble attempt to chase the total succumbed to an early setback with the dismissal of Shafali Varma, and the rest of the side couldn’t pick up the pieces, ensuring New Zealand’s triumphant win in this opener.
