Tue Oct 29 13:00:00 UTC 2024: ## India Cruises Past New Zealand in T20 World Cup Opener

**Sydney, Australia:** India made a strong start to their T20 World Cup campaign, securing a comfortable victory over New Zealand in their opening match. The Indian batswomen dominated the chase, reaching their target of 132 with ease.

Smriti Mandhana led the way for India, scoring a crucial century (100 runs) and building a crucial partnership with Yastika Bhatia (35 runs). Bhatia, however, fell victim to a sharp catch by New Zealand captain Sophie Devine, who also claimed the wicket of Shafali Verma early in the innings.

Despite the loss of Bhatia, India continued to control the match with Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur (25 runs) guiding the team to victory.

New Zealand, despite a valiant effort by their bowlers, struggled to contain the Indian batting line-up. Sophie Devine was the standout performer for New Zealand, taking two wickets and restricting the scoring rate.

India’s dominant performance showcased their batting depth and sets them up nicely for the remainder of the tournament.

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