Fine batting performance from New Zealand Women's top-order batters Suzie Bates (36) and Sophie Devine (31) helped the hosts defeat the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India by 18 runs in the one-off T20 International at the John Davies Oval here on Wednesday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bates and Devine put on 60 for the opening wicket, scoring better than a run a ball, as New Zealand posted an impressive 155\/5 in their allotted 20 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jess Kerr (2\/20), Amelia Kerr (2\/25) and Hayley Jensen (2\/25) then picked up two wickets each in a strong team effort with the ball as the tourists fell well short of the required target as they staggered to 137\/8 in reply.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Simran Bahadur (0\/26) dropped Bates in the second over of the New Zealand innings and the Kiwi opener made her pay as she found the boundary with ease to help the hosts make a fast start.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Devine fell for a well-compiled 31 in the eighth over and, when Bates was bowled by Rajeshwari Gayakwad (1\/39) shortly after, the home side was reduced 80\/2 in the 12th over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Some late hitting from experienced all-rounder Lea Tahuhu (27 off 14 balls) helped New Zealand to a big score, with Pooja Vastrakar's economical bowling of 1\/16 from four overs the only Indian bowler that could stop the Kiwis from scoring at will.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India openers Yastika Bhatia (26) and Shafali Verma (13) made a strong start in reply to cruise to 41\/0 in the seventh over, but the duo fell to Amelia Kerr in the space of just three balls to put the hosts firmly in control.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (12) and impressive middle-order batter Sabbhineni Meghana (37 from 30 balls) tried hard to keep the visitors in it, but the disciplined home side held their nerve to clinch the victory in style.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The two teams will now focus their attention to a five-match ODI series that starts at the same ground on February 12, ahead of next month's Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n