The Big Picture

Middle-order collapses and Indian cricket seem to be a reflection of each other these days- whether it is Men's or Women's team, and the first T20I was a rude reminder of that very fact as the Women in Blue squandered a position of strength in their chase of 160 to lose the game by 23 runs and relinquish a 1-0 lead to the White Ferns'.

The first game was also a reminder that the Indian T20I team was still a work in progress- one which is highly dependent on Mandhana and skipper Harnanpreet Kaur, and as we saw in the World T20 semi-final, is still inept to handle the pressure situation; further compounded by the absence of ODI skipper Mithali Raj. Harmanpreet Kaur said after the match that she wanted to give youngsters a chance, keeping in mind this is the last overseas sojourn for her side in the nearest future which means another test awaits an Indian side sans Mithali Raj as they look to square the 3-match series at Auckland.

They face an uphill task though, as their opponents in the White Ferns', after having looked lackluster for the major part of the ODI series, seem to have got their act right with back-to-back wins, and will be hoping to do an encore and wind up the T20I rubber in the second match itself.

Venue:- Eden Park, Auckland

Match Timing:- Friday, February 08, 2019, 07:30 AM IST

Pitch Conditions

Drop-in pitch. short boundaries, and a plethora of runs. This is what Eden Park is known for as far as the T20Is are concerned. The average first innings total at this venue is 172. Expect lots of fireworks tomorrow.

Recent Form-

White Ferns'- WLL

India- LLW

NZ-w vs IN-W Team News

• All-rounder Mackay suffered a leg injury in the last game; she is expected to be replaced by Anna Peterson.
• Lots of questions hover around the India squad. With the middle-order capitulating yet again, there is a case for a Mithali Raj comeback bit with Kaur stating her desire to give youngsters a chance, chances of it look slim.