“Toss: New Zealand Opts to Bat Against India”
New Zealand’s captain, Sophie Devine, chose to bat first in the second ODI against India in Ahmedabad. The visiting team made two changes to the lineup that lost the first ODI on Thursday, with one of the changes being enforced. Amelia Kerr, the spin-bowling all-rounder, was ruled out of the remaining matches due to a left quadricep muscle tear and was replaced by left-arm spinner Fran Jonas.
In addition, right-arm pacer Lea Tahuhu replaced Molly Penfold in a direct swap. Penfold bowled five overs in the first ODI without taking a wicket, conceding 28 runs, and faced issues with cramps during the match.
On the other hand, India welcomed back their regular captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, who had been rested for the first ODI due to a minor injury. Harmanpreet took the place of D Hemalatha in the lineup. India also included debutant legspinner Priya Mishra, who replaced Renuka Singh Thakur, making two changes to their side as well.
Mishra, 20, recently participated in an India A tour of Australia. In the unofficial Test, she claimed six wickets on the Gold Coast and excelled with five wickets in the third one-dayer, contributing to a 171-run victory for India A. She was the leading wicket-taker in the 2023-24 senior women’s one-day trophy, with 23 wickets, and was subsequently signed by Gujarat Giants in the WPL 2024, though she did not get a chance to play.
India leads the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first ODI by 59 runs. New Zealand needs to win the second game not only to keep the series alive but also to secure vital points in the Women’s Championship. Currently, they sit at No. 6, with only the top five teams and India as hosts qualifying directly for next year’s World Cup.
**India’s Lineup:**
1. Smriti Mandhana
2. Shafali Verma
3. Yastika Bhatia (wk)
4. Harmanpreet Kaur (capt)
5. Jemimah Rodrigues
6. Tejal Hasabnis
7. Deepti Sharma
8. Radha Yadav
9. Arundhati Reddy
10. Saima Thakor
11. Priya Mishra
**New Zealand’s Lineup:**
1. Suzie Bates
2. Georgia Plimmer
3. Lauren Down
4. Sophie Devine (capt)
5. Brooke Halliday
6. Maddy Green
7. Isabella Gaze
8. Jess Kerr
9. Lea Tahuhu
10. Eden Carson
11. Fran Jonas