Cricket World Cup 2022: How Lea Tahuhu and White Ferns got their campaign back on track against India

Lea Tahuhu responded to a 'rocky' start to the World Cup by shutting down India last night. Photo / Photosport

The three wise heads formulated a plan then Lea Tahuhu did what she was told.

That was the successful strategy for the White Ferns last night in Hamilton, where Tahuhu got her and New Zealand's World Cup campaign back on track.

After an expensive start to the tournament in the White Ferns' three-run loss to the West Indies, Tahuhu bowled only two overs in the rain-interrupted win over Bangladesh.

But in last night's crucial victory over India, the pace bowler showed why she remains a key strike weapon, taking 3-17 from 10 miserly overs.

Unlike the first two games, when she opened the bowling, Tahuhu was shifted to second change at Seddon Park.

She revealed that was part of a plan devised by the experienced trio of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite, aimed at blunting India's chase before it began.

That plan was deployed to perfection as the off spin of Frankie Mackay limited early scoring opportunities for the three left-handers atop the Indian order before Tahuhu strangled the life out of the innings.

"We did a good job to be able to restrict a really powerful Indian batting order," Tahuhu said. "The likes of Sophie, Suzie and Amy put their three wise heads together and come up with some plans … I just do what I'm told.

"One of the things with this bowling order is that anyone can do any job that they're asked to do. It's a little bit of a different challenge but still nice to put a performance out there no matter when you're thrown the ball."

Lea Tahuhu celebrates after dismissing Yastika Bhatia during the White Ferns' win. Photo / Getty

That was especially true for Tahuhu given the way her tournament had started. Time in the nets with her bowling coach proved a salve, and the 31-year-old responded with a match-defining opening spell of 2-7 from six overs.

"I was probably a little bit disappointed with my first two games," she said. "It was not where I wanted to be. To be able to go out there and put a good performance on the board is a nice place to be.

"I did a lot of work in the nets yesterday with Jake Oram and it was nice to be able to bounce back from a pretty rocky start to the tournament for me personally."

Tahuhu wasn't alone in that regard. The White Ferns' bowling unit was too loose against the West Indies, handing the batters what proved too tough a challenge to overcome.

So with what seemed a par score of 260-9 on the board against India, it was pleasing for the bowlers to make that total stand up as India were dismissed for 198.

"We thought we were probably 10 to 15 short," Tahuhu said. "We left a few out there and lost a few too many wickets at the back end and couldn't capitalise in the last 10 overs with the bat.

"We know in this tournament you've got to get big runs to stay in the game, and I think our bowling unit probably clicked for the first time."

It will have to click again if the hosts are to have a chance of upsetting Australia in Wellington, but Tahuhu and the White Ferns' three wise women will no doubt be doing plenty of plotting between now and Sunday.