The New Zealand women's cricket side will have to improve significantly if they are to claim the upcoming World Cup after they were easily beaten by hosts India in a warmup match in Mumbai overnight (NZT).
The White Ferns looked set for a good total when 160 for 4 after 36 overs but collapsed to be all out for 201 in 47.5. The hosts cruised to victory for the loss of just two wickets and with more than six overs remaining.
New Zealand headed to India full of confidence and expectations after they toppled Australia 2-1 in a Twenty20 series in Melbourne last week - this country's first win in Australia for 26 years - and will hope they can find some of that form against defending champions England in their final warmup match tonight.
They play their first Group B match against South Africa on February 1 and will need to win two of three of their pool games against South Africa, Pakistan and Australia to advance to the Super Six stages.
New Zealand made a jittery start, battling to 44 for three after 11 overs, but Frances Mackay (69 from 101 balls) and Sara McGlashan (56 from 66) put on 88 runs for the fourth wicket to have their side well placed. McGlashan's departure saw a collapse and when Mackay went with the score on 188, India finished off the innings quickly.
They also made light work of their chase. India's openers Punam Raut (69) and Thirush Kamini (43) put on 119 for the first wicket - Raut was dropped at first slip in the first over - before captain Mithali Raj (36 not out) and Harmanpreet Kaur (46 not out) guided their side to an easy win.
In a change to the original World Cup schedule, the White Ferns will now play all of their pool matches in Cuttack rather than Mumbai.
A series of non-violent demonstrations around Pakistan's involvement in the tournament, mainly in Mumbai, has seen the ICC and BCCI take the precautionary measure of shifting all Group B fixtures, plus some super-six and playoff matches, to Cuttack on the east coast of India.
If they advance from the group stages, the White Ferns will play all of their super-six matches in Mumbai.
New Zealand 201 in 47.5 overs (Suzie Bates 27, Sara McGlashan 56, Frances MacKay 69; Jhulan Goswami 3-26, Ekta Bisht 2-32, Gouher Sultana 2-35) lost to India 204/2 in 43.3 overs (Poonam Raut 69, Thirush Kamini 43, Mithali Raj 36*, Harmanpreet Kaur 46*) by 8 wickets.
- APNZ
