1st ODI: Saima and Tejal made their debuts as Smriti-led India opted to bat first against New Zealand

Ahmedabad, October 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) Saima Thakor and Tejal Hasabnis made their international debuts as India stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening match of the ODI series against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium Thursday.

“Harmanpreet Kaur has a problem and has been rested for the 1st ODI. Smriti Mandhana will lead the team in her absence,” BCCI wrote on X.

The match marks India's return to international action after being eliminated in the group stages of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, eventually won by New Zealand, led by Sophie Devine, who won their second major women's title -Cricket picked up.

India and New Zealand have faced each other 54 times in women's ODI matches – India has won 20 of them, New Zealand 33 times, while one match ended in a draw. The last ODI series between the two nations took place in February 2022 and was won by New Zealand 4-1.

Saima, the Mumbai pacer, will take up the fast bowling duties alongside Arundhati Reddy and Renuka Singh Thakur. Deepti Sharma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Radha Yadav and Tejal will handle the spin bowling duties. The series marks the beginning of preparations for both teams for the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, which will be held in India next year.

New Zealand currently sit sixth in the ICC Women's Championship points table with 18 points from 18 games. With six games remaining in their cycle, they need wins to have a chance of automatically qualifying for the mega event.

For New Zealand, most of the players who featured in the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup final are in the XI for the ODI series opener, including Molly Penfold and Jess Kerr, after they did not play a major role in their silverware triumph in Dubai .

Play XIs

India: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (week), Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Saima Thakor, Renuka Singh Thakur.

New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (captain), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Lauren Down, Izabelle Gaze (wicketkeeper), Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Eden Carson.

Source: IANS

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