Two players of Team India have debuted against New Zealand (IND vs NZ). No, we are not talking about Pune Test, this is about the first ODI being played between the India and New Zealand women’s teams in Ahmedabad.
For India, Tejal Hasabnis and Saima Thakor made their debuts in this match. Both of them got their debut caps from Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodriguez. A 3-ODI series is to be played between India and New Zealand. Both the players involved in the Ahmedabad ODI against New Zealand are from Maharashtra.
Tejal got the debut cap from Smriti Mandhana, while Saima got the cap from Jemima. Both the players of Maharashtra were also given caps by two players from Maharashtra. Saima Thakor is a right-arm fast bowler who has played 6 matches in the WPL and has picked up 3 wickets. At the same time, Tejal Hasabnis is known for her batting skills.
Special Day 🤗
A memorable moment for Tejal Hasabnis and Saima Thakor as they receive their #TeamIndia 🧢 from @mandhana_smriti and @JemiRodrigues respectively 👏
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/jMDOhGEaqb#INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/H1TybluWP7
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) October 24, 2024
Regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur is not in playing XI in the first ODI against New Zealand. In her place, the captaincy reins are in the hands of Smriti Mandhana. India won the toss and decided to bat first. Team India’s opening pair has disappointed here too. With Smriti Mandhana out for 5 runs, the opening pair of India has broken. This is the first international match in which the Indian team is seen playing after being eliminated from the group stage in the Women’s T20 World Cup.
Talking about the New Zealand team, they are the new champions of the Women’s T20 World Cup. The women’s Kiwi team has come India with a high spirit. Of course, the series against India is an ODI, but the challenge of the Kiwi team is still big.