India’s hopes of reaching the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup faded today as New Zealand beat them by five wickets in a Super Six stage match in Sydney.

Anjum Chopra (52) and Reema Malhotra (59) hit half centuries in India’s 207 all out in 49.4 overs. after captain Jhulan Goswami won the toss and decided to bat first.

Opener Kate Pulford led New Zealand’s chase with an 89-ball 71 as the Kiwis romped to 210 for five wickets with 14 balls to spare.
India can still reach the final, but only if they beat West Indies in their last match on March 19, New Zealand go down to Pakistan and Australia lose to England.

England are sitting pretty for a berth of the March 22 final with an all-win record while New Zealand have also brightened their chance of naking it to the sunnit clash.

Indian fielders — with the exception of Amita Sharma — proved butterfingers and failed to back up the bowlers by adding pressure at a time when wickets had fallen in quick succession. After dropping Pulford early in the innings, Mithali Raj made a mess of another catch — in the 40th over off Aimee Mason — and let it go for a six. Haidee Tiffen and Pulford also survived run-out attempts as the Indian fielders threw wide of the stumps.

Coming in to bat first, India were dealt an early blow in the fourth over itself when Anagha Deshpande (8) edged a Kate Pulford delivery to wicketkeeper Rachel Priest.

Priyanka Roy departed soon after (3), trapped LBW by Aimee Mason, to leave India, who beat Australia in their opening Super Six encounter, reeling at 26 for two.

In-form Mithali Raj (21) walked in to resurrect the innings with Anjum but the duo’s slow pace of scoring meant that the Indians managed just a little over 60 runs in the first 20 overs.

Mithali’s dismissal, caught by Priest off the bowling of medium pacer Sophie Divine, triggered another mini-collapse as Anjum, Rumeli Dhar (5) and skipper Jhulan Goswami (4) fell in quick succession, leaving India tottering at 126 for six in the 33rd over.