Sophie Devine, the New Zealand captain, praised her team’s comprehensive 58-run victory over India in their opening ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 match. She attributed the win to meticulous planning and outstanding execution, particularly from the openers and bowlers.
The result was crucial given the tournament format, where two teams from each group advance to the semifinals. New Zealand’s dominant performance has given them a significant early advantage.
“We’ve been planning for this game for nearly a year,” Devine revealed. “The level of detail we’ve gone into in terms of matchups and field sets has been immense.”
One such tactical decision was placing a long off against Smriti Mandhana in the Powerplay. “Playing with Smriti in the WPL helped, but it’s the bowlers’ execution that makes the difference,” Devine explained. She lauded the bowlers’ ability to execute their plans and take regular wickets.
The victory was set up by Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, who put on a 67-run partnership for the first wicket. Devine’s unbeaten 57 propelled New Zealand to a total of 160 for 4. “The foundation they laid was outstanding,” Devine said. “It allowed us to be aggressive with our bowling.”
Despite the loss, Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues acknowledged New Zealand’s strong performance. “They came out with a lot of intent,” she said. “We created opportunities but didn’t capitalize on them.”
Rodrigues urged her team to learn from the defeat and move forward. “We need to pick ourselves up and show our character,” she said. “The tournament is not over yet.”
