The Indian women's team put behind off-field controversies by making a superb start to the three-ODI rubber -- which is part of the ICC Women's Championship series -- thrashing New Zealand by nine wickets in the opening match.
The early overs used to be all about Smriti Mandhana but India's star opener says she feels relieved of pressure thanks to the emergence of teenage prodigy Shafali Verma. There's been no hesitation from Verma in making a name for herself on the global stage, the 16-year-old having scored 68 runs across two games, including five sixes and seven fours, at an impressive strike rate of 212.
With this victory, New Zealand have taken a 2-0 lead in the series with a match to play.
India's batting sensation Virat Kohli was on Monday named captain of the ICC World Twenty20 team of the tournament, which also featured veteran seamer Ashish Nehra.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur struck a sensational half century as Supernovas clinched the Women's T20 Challenge with a four-wicket victory over Velocity in a dramatic final, in Jaipur, on Saturday.
In the lead-up to the World T20, India have hit good form, beating hosts Sri Lanka before blanking Australia A at home. What should give them additional confidence going into the opener is the wins against reigning champions West Indies and England in the warm-up matches.
Royal Challengers Bangalore signed off the inaugural Women's Premier League with a loss as Mumbai Indians registered a four-wicket win.
A young Alyssa Healy grew up batting in a backyard where hitting windows meant getting out. Now, she just breaks glass ceilings. Healy is the latest in Australia's most storied cricketing lineage, with all the pluck and expectation that comes with it.
The West Indies held their nerve in the death overs to beat New Zealand by six runs and enter the final of the ICC women's World T20, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Hanging on to fourth spot on the points table, a loss tomorrow will shatter India's semi-final hopes.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad took a five-wicket haul to take India into the semi-finals of the ICC Women's World Cup with a 186-run win over New Zealand in Derby on Saturday.
