NZ-W Vs IND-W: ‘Bowling Could Have Been Better’, Says India's Deepti Sharma After First ODI Loss

Chasing 275, India women were bowled out for 213 in the 50th over despite a fighting half-century from captain Mithali Raj. India will play five ODI vs NZ.

PTI

Updated on: 12 February 2022 10:24 am

Indian players celebrate the fall of New Zealand in the first ODI on Saturday.

India off-spinner Deepti Sharma on Saturday said the bowling unit could have done a better job after the team went down to New Zealand women by 62 runs in the first ODI on Saturday. (More Cricket News)

Indian bowlers had pulled things back a bit by taking wickets in the back end of the New Zealand innings but the hosts still managed to post 275 all out in 48.1 overs.

“We bowled well. It would have been better if we could have pulled them back a bit.. they got to 275. The bowling unit can do better,” Deepti, who picked up two wickets including that of centurion Suzie Bates, said at the virtual media interaction after the match.

She said it is would take some time to adjust to the wickets here. “We have been trying hard to pick wickets. We are working on how to bowl on such wickets,” Deepti said.

Asked if the team will look to experiment in the five-ODI series, Deepti said, “The captain and coach will take a call (on experimenting). It is good that we are getting a chance to play the series before the World Cup. The more we play as a team it will be good.”

The left-handed batter was confident that the team would bounce back from the defeat and said the focus will be on doing well with the bat. After restricting New Zealand women to 275, the Indians could not get going with the bat despite a superb half-century by skipper Mithali Raj (59) and were bowled out for 213 in the 50th over.

New Zealand opener Suzie Bates, who smashed a match-winning ton against India on Saturday, said the team need to make sure they continue the winning momentum in the upcoming games.

Bates, who scored 106 from 111 balls, said, "I can reflect on a pretty special day, nice to start the series with a hundred and a win, need to make sure that we continue with the momentum. Pretty proud of the way the team responded today."

“We've played at this ground during the domestic summer, we knew how this wicket plays, we knew that they could be under the scoreboard pressure - good thing is that we managed to knock them over,” she added. The second ODI will be played at the same venue on Tuesday.