At the Mumbai Cricket Association’s facility in Bandra Kurla Complex on Tuesday, opener Soumya Tiwari kept up her impressive form as India Under-19 defeated the New Zealand development team by To win the series, four wickets were needed in the fifth and final T20.
The Indian team, coached by former international cricketer Nooshin Al Khadeer, put in another strong performance to finish the series unbeaten. This allowed the players to get ready for the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup, which will begin in South Africa in January.
After losing the toss in the previous three games, New Zealand decided to win it this time and chose to bat first, although they were only able to score 119/6 in their 20 overs. With a 27-ball 40 as the centrepiece of the reply, Tiwari helped India reach 121/6 in 18 overs.
Prue Catton, the visitors’ captain, recorded the first half-century of the series and had the highest score of the game. At No. 3, the right-handed batter hit eight fours in a run-a-ball 53. She and keeper-batter Izzy Gaze put together a 64-run partnership for the third wicket.
Left-arm spinners Sonam Yadav (2/27) and Mannat Kashyap (2/22), who had taken five wickets in the previous game, took care of the remaining wickets. Right-arm pacers Shabnam (1/19) and Titas Sadu (1/16) removed the New Zealand openers and kept things close in their eight overs.
Tiwari performed some of her signature drives through the cover region and was immediately her usual fluent self. The right-hander, who was the only Indian player to reach 50 in the series’ first T20, hit six fours throughout her innings, which helped India maintain the lead in the chase.
Shweta Sehrawat, the captain, was caught at long-on for 20 off 19 after failing to convert another start. The right-hander ended the series with 76 runs at an average of 15.2 and a strike rate of 100. He has been selected India’s vice-captain for the U19 World Cup.
Before Mannat Kashyap and Hrishita Basu were caught off consecutive deliveries by right-arm pacer Kayley Knight, all-rounder Hurley Gala played a fun cameo of 21 runs from 16 balls. Sadhu, however, calmly concluded the game with a four, and India won the series 5-0.
The best bowler for New Zealand was right-arm pacer Anna Browning, who finished with figures of 3/13 from her four overs.