The Indian women's cricket team's horror tour of New Zealand continued as they suffered a 63-run defeat in a rain-curtailed fourth ODI in Queenstown on Tuesday with the hosts inching towards a series clean sweep.
The match was reduced to 20 overs per team due to rain as Amelia Kerr stole the show with a 33-ball-68 which took New Zealand to 191 for 5.
Amelia, one half of the famous Kerr sisters, then mopped up the tail with 3 for 30 as India were bowled out for 128 in 17.5 overs to go down 0-4 in the five-match series.
Teenager Richa Ghosh's counter-attacking 52 off 29 balls was the only silver lining in an otherwise disastrous performance for the Indians, who have suffered five successive defeats in New Zealand, including the one-off T20.
The bowling performance of the Indians seemed to have nose-dived with each passing game and it was the worst on Tuesday where only Rajeshwari Gayakwad (4-0-26-1) looked the part.
Meghna Singh (1/45 in 4 overs) and Deepti Sharma (1/49 in 4 overs) were the two bowlers taken to the cleaners by Amelia, who hit 11 fours and a six.
New Zealand started on a rousing note with a 53-run opening stand between Sophie Devine (32 of 24 balls) and Suzie Bates (41 off 26 balls).
Once the platform was laid, Amelia and Amy Satterthwaite (32 off 16 balls) literally pummelled the Indian bowling.
A chase of 192 was always going to be a tough ask even though the out-of-form Harmanpreet Kaur was dropped from the playing eleven.
Smriti Mandhana (13) very understandably was out of rhythm after a long and hard quarantine and youngsters Shafali Verma (0) and Yastika Bhatia (0) were out in quick succession.
The match was as good as over by the fifth over when India were reduced to 19 for 4.
Richa and Mithali Raj (30 off 28 balls) added 67 runs but it was in a lost cause as wickets fell at regular interval.
Amelia's sister Jess also got two wickets upfron,t while Francis Mackay and Heley Jensen shared the spoils with two and three wickets respectively.
The only time India had something to cheer about was when Richa clobbered the White Ferns bowlers for four sixes and four boundaries while Mithali played the second fiddle at the other end.
Once Richa was dismissed, the stomach for fight wasn't evident in others as six wickets fell for 32 runs.
Bowling attack a concern going into World Cup: Mithali
India captain Mithali Raj was frank in her admission that team's bowling is a huge concern going into the ICC Women's World Cup after the side's 63-run defeat in the fourth ODI.
India's bowling attack has failed to defend 270 and 279 in the second and third games. The team also failed to chase 276 in the opening game and a mammoth 192 in 20 overs in the fourth game.
"Definitely have been trying a few combinations with the seam and spin attack. Bowling attack is a concern going into the World Cup," Mithali said at post-match presentation ceremony.
Mithali conceded that bowlers have not been consistent in their lines and lengths throughout the tour.
"We are adapting to the conditions and to the open ground and the breeze. We have not been very consistent in our bowling spells. I was just looking at Richa's shots and she is a talented and exciting player for the future for India," Mithali added.
