Overs 25.3: New Zealand 79 all out
This is a thumping win for India. Rajeshwari Gayakwad sneaks through Kasperek's defence to complete a five-for as New Zealand surrender for a paltry 79 runs. India is through to the semfinals of the World Cup.
Overs 20: New Zealand 57/6
Indians continue to chip away, as New Zeland is six down in a chase of 265. Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gaekwad have strangled the opposition and picked crucial middle overs wickets. With just four wickets left, no set batter at the crease, the match is fast slipping away for the Kiwis.
Overs 15: New Zealand 48/3
No respite for the Kiwis as India continues to tighten the noose on their top order. Deepti Sharma opens her wickets tally by getting rid of Martin, who hits one straight to Harmanpreet Kaur at midwicket. New Zealand in dire straits at the moment.
Overs 10: New Zealand 26/2
Indian bowlers continue to pile pressure on the opposition batsmen, with Martin and Satterthwaite struggling to break the shackles. A run rate of 2.90 has added to the team's woes. Mithali Raj and her team in the driver's seat at the moment.
Overs 5: New Zealand 17/2
Chasing 266 to win, New Zealand suffered early blows when both Bates and Priest were nipped out cheaply. Priest edged one to slip off Shikha Pandey whereas Bates could only watch helplessly as India's premier fast bowler Jhulan Goswami lapped up an excellent catch on her followthrough to leave the opposition reeling.
Second Innings
Overs 50: India 265/7
Helped by Mithali Raj's well crafted 109 off 123 deliveries; and Veda Krishnamurthy's quickfire 70 off 45 balls, India hammered 57 in the last five overs to reach 265/7. Although losing Kaur and Sharma in quick succession pegged India back, Krishnamurthy injected some much needed momentum in the innings by collecting 17 runs off a Suzie Bates over.
New Zealand needs 266 to qualify for the semifinals of Women's World Cup.
Overs 45: India 208/4
Mithali Raj continues to impress with the bat but two wickets in quick succession have halted India's surge in the last 10 overs. However, Veda Krishnamurthy has shown intent by raising 31 off 26 balls with two boundaries and a six. Meanwhile Raj is seven short of a well deserved century.
Overs 30: India 116/2
Although Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur have steadied the ship, New Zealand continues to keep the batters under check. Raj notched up her 50th ODI half-century with a flick towards midwicket but Kaur at the other end, has struggled to get the big hits going. The ones and twos have dried up , further hurting the run rate.
Play resumes after rain delay.
Overs 17.5: India 60 for 2
Runs are hard to come by as the endless smattering of dots is interspersed by the odd boundary. Most of the fours are being hit by Mithali, who along with Harmanpreet Kaur put on 39 for the third wicket before play was halted in the 18th over due to rain.
Overs 10: India 31 for 2
Mithali Raj has been playing steadily, seemingly continuing on from her unruffled half-century against Australia a few days ago. However, enterprising opener Smriti Mandhana and Punam Raut, the century-maker against Australia, have departed cheaply. Runs come in a trickle as India seeks to lay a base.
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With three semifinalists decided, the crucial fourth spot is up for grabs in the last match of the round-robin stage in the Women's World Cup, between India and New Zealand. Both teams have four wins in the competition.
Both teams suffered defeats in the last round. India went down to Australia and New Zealand lost to host England.
Teams
India: Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sushma Verma (wk), Shikha Pandey, Jhulan Goswami, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.
South Africa: Suzie Bates (c), Rachel Priest (wk), Amy Satterthwaite, Katey Martin, Sophie Devine, Katie Perkins, Maddy Green, Amelia Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu, Leigh Kasperek.
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