NZ-W vs IN-W prediction: Who will win the 5th ODI?
New Zealand Women will lock horns with India Women in the fifth game of the five-match ODI series at the John Davies Oval in Queenstown on 24 February.
The hosts have taken an unassailable 4-0 lead in the series heading into this encounter. They will look to make it five out of five in the upcoming encounter and complete a whitewash. The hosts have been dominating throughout the tour and have been a class apart from the Indian women's side.
The visitors have put up a competitive performance in all their outings so far but have failed to close out games. While the batters have scored heavily, their bowling attack has lacked the potency and threat that one would usually associate with an Indian attack.
The fourth ODI was a rain-curtailed encounter, with the match being reduced to a 20-overs-per-side encounter. The White Ferns chose to bat first on a slightly challenging surface. Amelia Kerr (33-ball 68*) and Suzie Bates (26-ball 41) were the top-scorers for the hosts.
Crucial cameos from the bat of Amy Satterthwaite and Sophie Devine ensured that the hosts got to a daunting total. Renuka Thakur claimed a couple of wickets while Meghna Singh, Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad bagged a scalp each.
Chasing a massive total, the visitors crumbled under pressure as they put up only 128 runs before getting bundled out. Richa Ghosh (29-ball 52) and Mithali Raj (28-ball 30) were the top-scorers for the visitors. Hayley Jensen and Amelia Kerr claimed three wickets, while Jess Kerr and Frances Mackay had two scalps each.
Will India Women beat New Zealand Women?
The visitors have posed a serious threat to the White Ferns right throughout the series but haven't been able to hold their nerves at crucial junctures. A strong bowling performance from the Indian side could find the New Zealand Women in a dire situation.
Match Prediction: New Zealand Women are favorites to finish on top in this encounter.