India Eyes Consistency from Batters to Clinch Series; NZ's Amelie Kerr Ruled Out

India's women's cricket team, after a comfortable 59-run victory in the first ODI, is looking to secure the series against New Zealand with a more refined performance from its batting lineup in the upcoming second ODI. Despite the victory, India’s batters missed opportunities to convert starts, with multiple players reaching the 30s and 40s but failing to build bigger innings. This time, India hopes to see contributions extend beyond starts, as they seek to close the series in style on Sunday.

Stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana, who managed only eight runs in the first match, will be pivotal. Having struggled over the last month, Mandhana will look to revisit her July form against South Africa, where she scored prolifically, including two centuries. The team is also monitoring the fitness of regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who missed the previous game due to an undisclosed injury.

India’s bowling attack showcased promising performances in the first ODI, with debutant pacer Saima Thakor impressing alongside left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, who returned to form with wickets in this format.

Meanwhile, New Zealand faces a setback with the loss of all-rounder Amelie Kerr, who sustained a left quadricep tear in the first ODI. Kerr, New Zealand's top bowler in that match, claimed four wickets before her injury. White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer expressed disappointment, emphasizing her importance to the squad. She will not be replaced, as New Zealand looks to make adjustments ahead of the final game scheduled three days later.

Probable Squads:

• India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, D. Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia, Uma Chetry, Sayali Satgare, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Tejal Hasabnis, Saima Thakor, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil
• New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Polly Inglis, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

The match begins at 1:30 pm.