Mithali Raj's well-crafted half-century went in vain as Indian batting flopped once again with the visitors losing the first WODI against New Zealand by 62 runs here on Saturday. Opting to bowl, New Zealand rode on Suzie Bates century (106 off 111 balls) to score a challenging 275 and India were all-out in the last over for 213 in 49.4 overs and never for once looked like being in the chase.
The 39-year-old Mithali, playing her 221st ODI, continued her dream form in the format -- seven fifties in the last 11 innings in ODIs -- to keep India in the hunt with a 73-ball 59 (6x4). Indian women's team in their last ODI recorded their highest ever run chase of 265 set by Australia women in September last year, a win that had ended their rivals 26-match winning streak. Mithali also joined Charlotte Edwards in making 1,000 runs against four different teams -- Australia, England, Sri Lanka and New Zealand -- in ODI cricket. She also became the first Indian to reach 1000 women's ODI runs against New Zealand.
Mithali got a fine support from left-hander Yastika Bhatia, who dropped down to her usual No 3 spot, to stroke a 63-ball 41 as the duo added 88 runs in their recovery act. But she perished to a short ball from Hayley Jensen (2/36), something that triggered the Indian collapse before Jess Kerr sealed the issue for the hosts with a match winning 4/35 as India collapsed for 213 in 49.4 overs to trail the five-match ODI series 0-1. India had earlier lost the one-off T20I by 18 runs in their series opener on February 9. India also paid a price for Harmanpreet Kaur's poor form as she coming fresh from her exploits in the Big Bash where she was adjudged 'Player of the Tournament' could not make it big perishing for a 22-ball 10.
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