Guwahati: Brooke Halliday and skipper Sophie Devine scored fighting fifties before the bowlers fired in unison to guide New Zealand to a comfortable 100-run win over Bangladesh in a Women’s World Cup match here on Friday.
Halliday and Devine rescued New Zealand after a disastrous start with a 112-run stand, helping the White Ferns to post a modest 227 for nine after opting to bat.
New Zealand did not have the best of starts, losing their first three wickets for 38 in 10.5 overs as Georgia Pimmer (4), Suzie Bates (29) and Amelia Kerr fell in quick succession.
Devine (63) and Halliday (69) joined hands and played cautiously to forge a vital partnership for the fourth wicket.
Despite posting a modest target, New Zealand romped home comfortably after a lacklustre batting effort from Bangladesh, who were bundled out for 127 in 39.5 overs.
Bangladesh never got the start they desired, losing wickets at regular intervals to totter at 30 for five by the 14th over.
The likes of Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, skipper Nigar Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Sumaiya Akter and Shoma Akter were atrocious in their approach as they failed to counter the Kiwi bowlers and fell like nine pins.
The highest partnership of Bangladesh’s innings was shared by Fahima Khatun (34) and Rabeya Khan (25), who stitched 44 runs for the eighth wicket. The second highest stand for Bangladesh was between Khatun and Nahida Akter (17) for the seventh wicket as they shared 33 runs.
For New Zealand, fast bowler Jess Kerr (3/21) Lea Tahuhu (3/22) were the pick of the bowlers. Rosemary Mair (2/20) picked up two wickets.
Earlier, Georgia Plimmer was the first to depart, caught by wicket-keeper Nigar Sultana off the bowling of leg-spinner Rabeya Khan (3/30) in the ninth over and a ball later Suzie Bates was run out.
Amelia Kerr was the next to depart, bowled by Khan in the 11th over.
Devine and Halliday stabilised the innings with a cautious approach to take New Zealand forward. Halliday brought up her fifty in style, slamming off-spinner Nishita Akhter over mid-on for a boundary.
Once she reached her fifty, Halliday stepped on the gas and struck leg-break bowler Shorna Akhter over wide long-on for a maximum.
While Halliday was aggressive, Devine adopted a patient approach to build her innings.
Devine’s subdued and cautious knock can be ascertained from the fact that she hit her first boundary in the 38th over, which was followed by another.
Halliday smashed leg-spinner Fahima Khatun over square-leg but a ball later she perished top-edging a full delivery to Sultana behind the stumps.
Halliday hit five fours and a six in her 104-ball knock.
Devine notched up her half-century with a massive six over long-on off Nishita Akhter Nishi. It was her third fifty plus score in as many games at this World Cup.
Once she reached fifty, Devine opened up her arms and clobbered Nishita over cow cover for another maximum in the next ball.
But a ball later, Devine perished in search of one too many with Nishita cleaning up her timbers.
Devine scored her runs off 85 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes.
Towards the end, Maddy Green played a good hand but New Zealand lost her and Jess Kerr in successive balls.
