Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine shine as New Zealand level series against India

India's batting flounders as hosts go down by 76 runs
AHMEDABAD: New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer had talked about the need for partnerships, which was missing from their batting performance in the opening ODI. On Sunday in the second ODI here, New Zealand women delivered on his talk.
Senior batters Suzie Bates (58 off 70b; 8x4) and Sophie Devine (79 off 86b; 7x4, 1x6) led with big knocks while Bates's fellow opener Georgia Plimmer (41 off 63b; 6x4, 1x6) and middle-order batter Maddy Green (42 off 41b; 5x4) chipped in with meaningful contributions as the White Ferns accumulated 259/9, which proved more than enough as the hosts were bowled out for 183. The series is tied, with the final ODI to be played on Tuesday.
Chasing a stiff target of 260, India's start was hardly the one they were looking for. Southpaw Smriti Mandhana (0) had a loose waft at a widish delivery and was caught at point by Plimmer on the second attempt off Lea Tahuhu (3/42). Fellow opener Shafali Verma (11) hit two sublime boundaries but was trapped in front by pacer Jess Kerr (2/49). Number three Yastika Bhatia (12) too was caught behind off Tahuhu's away-going delivery as India slipped to 26/3 in five overs.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (24) and Jemimah Rodrigues (17) steadied the ship with a 38-run partnership but the latter's dismissal, caught behind off Devine's (3/27) bowling, pegged India back.
The New Zealand captain then struck another telling blow, having Kaur caught at deep midwicket to leave India reeling at 77/5. Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma and Arundhati Reddy followed soon. But, Radha Yadav (48 off 64b; 5x4), who picked up 4/69 to go along with three catches, and Saima Thakor (29 off 54b;3x4) added 70 for the ninth wicket to save India from a huge loss.
They married intent with defence as Yadav unfurled some good cut shots, cover drives and sweep shots to make 48.
They were separated when Bates at cover intervened to catch a mistimed lofted shot by Thakor. Yadav's quest for her maiden 50 ended two runs short when she skied a shot to point off Devine's bowling. Earlier, Bates and Plimmer raced to 87 in 15.3 overs as they made good use of the batting conditions to find boundaries at regular intervals and rotate strike at will. However, off spinner Deepti Sharma's (2/30) introduction slowed down the proceedings as the White Ferns lost four quick wickets to slip to 139/4 in 31.3 overs.
Devine and Green, though, put on a match-changing partnership of 82 for the fifth wicket to take New Zealand to a strong total. With Renuka Thakur not in action and Saima Thakor unable to provide the early breakthroughs, India depended on spinners to stem the run flow, which Deepti and debutant leg spinner Priya Mishra (1/49) managed.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 259/9 in 50 overs (S Devine 79, S Bates 58: R Yadav 4/69, D Sharma 2/30) bt India (R Yadav 48; S Devine 3/27, L Tahuhu 3/42) by 76 runs