Wasteful New Zealand left to rue missed opportunities in India defeat

Three dropped catches and a botched stumping proved key as the Kiwis lost by four runs in Melbourne, leaving their passage to the semi-finals hanging by a thread

• Scorecard
• India clinch semi-finals spot

New Zealand's fielding came under the microscope as they failed to take a series of chances in the nervy four-run defeat to India in Melbourne.

India made 133 for 8 from their 20 overs but they were let off the hook on four occasions by some woeful Kiwi fielding.

Opener Shafali Verma was dropped twice, Deepti Sharma was spilled in the 15th over and Rachel Priest failed to stump Radha Yadav.

The errors would prove costly as the White Ferns fell agonisingly short of their target as Amelia Kerr, whose 34 from 19 balls kept them in contention, was faced with needing a four to tie the game, or five to win it.

Shikha Pandey kept her nerve to secure the narrow win for India which takes them into the semi-finals, while New Zealand must win their final two group matches against Bangladesh and Australia to reach the knock-out stage.

"We probably rue a couple of opportunities in the field," said Katey Martin, who struck 25 as part of the rebuild after New Zealand were initially reduced to 34 for 3.

"I thought we bowled extremely well coming back from - probably India got off to a really good start on that powerplay. 

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"Milly Kerr really batted outstandingly to get us so close. And needing I guess four to get into the super over, five or six to win the game, that last ball kept it nice and close.

"But we go into a must-win match against Australia in our last game.

"We've been making big strides in our fielding. I think we've got a really big focus of getting off the boundary ripe, and there are some tough chances. 

"But at this level we need to be taking those - look I think something that we really pride ourselves on and I know that we'll continue to do the work we've been doing and knowing that some of those will stick and go our way."

New Zealand are back in action in a do or die clash with Bangladesh on Saturday (29 February).

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