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6th over: India 18-0 (Pratika 11, Smriti 4) Devine brings herself into the attack and Smriti rushes her first ball, sending the ball flying just past a airborne point. Dab-dab, we return to the singles game.
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5th over: India 15-0 (Pratika 10, Smriti 2) A boundary at last, as Mair sends down a half volley and Pratika flicks her away off her ankles and down to the rope. And another! A greedy step forward and angled over cover. The engine is running.
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Updated at 05.54 EDT
4th over: India 6-0 (Pratika 2, Smriti 1) Lots of empty seats at the moment, but on TMS Steve Finn says that spectators are gathering in the shaded areas to shelter from the sun – it’s 3.15 in the afternoon in Mumbai. A couple of singles off Kerr’s second over, and then an out of character wide. India cannot pierce New Zealand’s fielders waiting in a tight ring.
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3rd over: India 3-0 (Pratika 1, Smriti 0) The crowd are chomping for boundaries, but New Zealand’s bowlers are not complying. More stinginess from Mair, nibbling the ball both way and giving India nothing. Jut a single.
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2nd over: India 2-0 (Pratika 0, Smriti 0) Jess Kerr at the other end, neat lengths, Smriti, watchful, taps the ball back. An excellent maiden.
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Play!
1st over: India 2-0 (Pratika 0, Smriti 0) Rosemary Mair, hair scraped back, earrings dancing, starts with an outswinger that Pratika lets go safely by. And so it continues for much of the over, with two leg byes from the last ball.
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India have limped to this stage, on the back of three losses. But here they are, and they must turn things around today. After the anthems, New Zealand huddle for a giant high five, Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal trot to the middle.
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Hot, hot, hot
It’s 35 degrees at the DY Patil stadium, and a humidity level in the 50s means that sweat won’t evaporate very effectively. It’s going to be tough out there.
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I think Sophie Devine summed up the situation pretty well pre-match:
“I can’t imagine the a type pf pressure that India feel, a billion people tuned into the TV screens. I’ve got real empathy for them, for us it’s a really exciting challenge, playing India, in India, in a World Cup, these are the moments that you want to be playing cricket.”
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India bring in Rodrigues
India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani.
Mumbai’s Rodrigues replaces Amanjot Kaur, but still no extra bowler.
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New Zealand unchanged
New Zealand XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (capt), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson, Lea Tahuhu.
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Harmanpreet looks calm in the storm. “The pitch is looking good and we have a good opportunity with the extra batter to set a big total.We want to enjoy the moment and play good cricket.”
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New Zealand win the toss and bowl
Sophie Devine: “We don’t think the surface will change much and we just want a first crack with the ball. We haven’t played as much as we’d like but…we walk towards the pressure, playing India in India in a World Cup, it doesn’t get much bigger than that.”
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Preamble
Crunch. Match number 24 is the big one. India can qualify for their own tournament’s knock out stages if they win today. Rain-haunted New Zealand must win for a chance to make it to the semi-finals. Join us in Navi Mumbai – it should be a thriller, play starts at 10.30amBST.
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Updated at 05.24 EDT
