ICC Women’s T20 WC warm-up: India, NZ, Australia secure wins

Dubai [UAE], September 30 (ANI): On the second day of warm-up action ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, New Zealand, Australia, and India recorded comfortable wins against South Africa, England, and the West Indies, on Sunday, respectively.
India began their warm-ups for the Women's T20 World Cup with a 20-run win over the West Indies.
The West Indies put India under pressure early, dismissing the top three batters within the Powerplay. Captain Hayley Matthews (4/17) was instrumental in this, taking the key wickets of Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana in back-to-back overs.
However, Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia (24 in 25 balls, with a four and six) steadied the ship for India with a crucial 50-run partnership. Rodrigues was particularly impressive, reaching a well-crafted half-century, finishing with 52 off 40 balls, with five fours.
Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar provided a late surge to take India past the 140-run mark.
In their chase, the West Indies encountered a similar fate as India, losing three early wickets, including that of captain Matthews.
Shemaine Campbelle (20 in 38 balls, with two fours) and Chinelle Henry managed to stabilise the innings with a solid 57-run partnership. However, India retaliated by taking three wickets in the span of just seven balls, shifting the momentum firmly in their favour.
Asha Sobhana (1/7) ended the half-century partnership by taking a crucial wicket, and Deepti Sharma (2/11) followed up with two wickets in three balls, leaving the West Indies in a precarious position at 71/6.
Henry fought valiantly, remaining unbeaten on 59 in 48 balls with six fours and two sixes, but the West Indies struggled to find the firepower in the latter stages of their innings. Ultimately, they finished at 121/8 in their 20 overs, falling 20 runs short of the target. Pooja Vastrakar was the top wicket-taker with 3/20 in four overs.
-New Zealand vs South Africa
Amelia Kerr delivered a stellar all-round display, leading New Zealand to a commanding victory over South Africa in their opening warm-up match
Kerr (3/13), alongside fellow spinner Leigh Kasperek (3/7), tore through South Africa's batting order, restricting them to a modest total of 92. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt (33 in 37 balls, with a four) was the top scorer for South Africa.
In response, New Zealand faced an early setback with Suzie Bates (17) falling during the Powerplay. However, the modest target of 93 posed no significant challenge for the White Ferns.
Kerr, opening the innings, combined with captain Sophie Devine for a steady 36-run partnership for the second wicket before Shesh Naidu removed Kerr for a run-a-ball 37.
By that point, New Zealand were already on the verge of victory, and Devine (35* in 24 balls, with four boundaries), alongside Brooke Halliday (6*), comfortably guided the team to an eight-wicket win.
-Australia vs England
A half-century from Beth Mooney and a fine all-round performance from Tahlia McGrath helped Australia to victory over England at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
Mooney laid the foundation for a strong total with a quickfire 30-ball 50, consisting of 7 fours. Mooney did not let the spinners settle in easy, using her feet against them to find the boundaries with regularity. She found good support in Ash Gardner (21 in 19 balls, with a four), who held up one end after Australia had lost Alyssa Healy and Elysse Perry early.
Once Mooney departed right after her fifty, it was Tahlia McGrath who took the attack to England to ensure they did not lose momentum. She struck 31 off 22 with four boundaries to help Australia post a total of 162/6.
England were quick off the blocks in their chase, with Maia Bouchier taking the attack to Kim Garth with three boundaries in an over. But Australia managed to pull it back quickly by removing the openers Bouchier (17) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (7) inside the Powerplay.
Alice Capsey (40 in 34 balls, with five fours) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (12) steadied the ship with a 52-run stand, but England lost both the set batters in consecutive overs to Sophie Molineux (2/27) and Tahlia McGrath, respectively.
McGrath (3/18) capped off a fine all-round performance with two more wickets as England fell 34 runs short of the target. (ANI)