Bengaluru: A captain’s knock by Mithali Raj enabled the Indian women’s cricket team to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over New Zealand in the fourth ODI, thereby levelling the five-match series at 2-2.
Skipper Mithali’s stylish unbeaten knock of 81 was the cornerstone of India successful chase of 221 in only 44.2 overs. Mithali became the first Indian and second in women’s ODI history to complete 5000 runs after England’s Charlotte Edwards.
Mithali got able support from young left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana (66, 99 balls) as they added 124 runs for the second wicket. This was after Mandhana and Thirushkamini (31) gave a steady start with a 49-run opening stand.
Mithali’s 88-ball innings had 10 sweetly timed boundaries but the most exciting part of Indian innings was Harmanpreet Kaur’s 25-ball cameo that yielded 32 runs with help of four boundaries and two huge sixes.
Brief Scores
NZ: 220 (Devine 89, Gayekwad 3/25, Nagarajan 3/35) lose to India: 221/2 (Mithali Raj 81 not out, Mandhana 66) by 8 wckts.
