India's opening match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 against New Zealand saw not only a crushing 58-run defeat but also a heated controversy over a run-out decision involving New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India failed to capitalize on key moments in the game, resulting in a shaky start to their tournament campaign.

Controversial run-out call sparks heated discussion

In the 14th over of New Zealand’s innings, Indian players appealed for a run-out against Amelia Kerr after a mix-up between the batters. However, to the surprise of many, the ball was declared dead by the umpire before the appeal could be processed. This led to a tense exchange between Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the umpires. Despite the controversy, Kerr was dismissed two balls later by Renuka Singh, but the dead-ball decision raised several questions.

According to Law 20.1 of the Laws of Cricket, a ball is deemed dead when it’s clear that both the fielding team and the batters have ceased to regard it as in play. In this instance, the ambiguity in the situation caused the umpire to declare the ball dead, but the debate surrounding the run-out call persisted throughout the match.

India’s performance falls short

On the field, India’s performance was far from their best. After New Zealand set a competitive total of 160/4, thanks to a solid opening partnership and a captain's knock from Sophie Devine, India struggled to find momentum. The Indian innings collapsed as they lost three crucial wickets during the powerplay, with Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, and Harmanpreet Kaur all departing early.

Despite a strong bowling effort from Renuka Singh, who took 2/27, India’s chase faltered under New Zealand’s relentless bowling attack. Rosemary Mair and Lea Tahuhu shone with the ball, picking up four and three wickets respectively, to restrict India to just 102 runs, sealing a comprehensive win for New Zealand.

See Also: Ashwin raises important question after controversial run-out

Harmanpreet reflects on disappointing start

After the match, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her disappointment with the team's overall performance. “We didn't play our best cricket. Going forward we know every game is important. We created chances but were unable to capitalize on them. They played better cricket than us, no doubt. We made some mistakes in fielding, and that’s something we need to improve going forward," Kaur said in the post-match interview.

Kaur also reflected on India’s failed run chase, stating, “We have chased 160-170 runs many times before, and while batting we knew someone had to bat through, but we kept losing wickets. This wasn’t the start we were expecting, but we have to improve from here.”