WATCH: Richa Ghosh's costly miss allows Suzie Bates to stay in the game during IND vs NZ ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 match

New Delhi: India's Women's Cricket Team faced a tough challenge in their opening group-stage match of the T20 World Cup against New Zealand Women at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Despite a strong start by Georgia Plimmer and Suzie Bates for the White Ferns, the Indian Women's team struggled with fielding errors, giving their opponents an advantage.

Talking about the fielding blunders, Renuka Singh Thakur’s comical fielding awarded four runs to Plimmer, and the experienced Suzie Bates got a lifeline, riding on Richa Ghosh’s horrible keeping. The incident occurred during the sixth over of New Zealand Women’s innings when India Women were desperately searching for a breakthrough.

Then it was time for the wicket, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur brought her trump card Arundhati Reddy into the attack to catch a wicket. Despite Reddy creating a chance with her wily variations, Richa Ghosh dropped a sitter to disappoint her at a crucial time of the game.

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From over the wicket, Reddy bowled a good length delivery around the leg stump, as Bates created room to whack the ball through the on side. However, she only managed a top edge with the ball going straight up in the air.

It was a straightforward chance for India’s wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, who misjudged the speed of the ball and put it down, giving Bates a lifeline