New Zealand began their Super Six campaign with an 18-run victory over the USA in a low-scoring match at the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangi. New Zealand batted first and scored 97, despite Ritu Singh taking five wickets, finishing with figures of 5 for 15 in 3.5 overs.
The Kiwi batting lineup struggled to build partnerships, with none of the batters converting their starts. The two significant partnerships included a 32-run opening stand between Kate Irwin and Emma McLeod and a 34-run seventh-wicket partnership between Hannah Francis (25 off 33) and Rishika Jaiswal (17 off 27). Ritu played a crucial role with the ball, claiming three wickets from the top five batters and two more in the final over.
In response, the USA lost their opening batter Chetna Pagydyala for a duck in the second over. Disha Dhingra fought back with a 30-run knock off 24 balls, but her dismissal in the seventh over sparked a collapse. Despite Ritu scoring 14 with the bat, a run-out dismissed her in the 13th over. New Zealand’s bowlers, including Jaiswal and Irwin, who took two wickets each, quickly dismantled the USA’s lower order, and they bowled out the USA for 70 in the 18th over.
Meanwhile, rain forced the abandonment of the match between England and Nigeria without a ball being bowled.
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