New Zealand got off to a strong start in the T20 World Cup opener against India in Dubai, with openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer scoring 55 runs during the powerplay, putting India on the backfoot.
However, the Women in Blue quickly turned the tide by dismissing both batters in just four deliveries and nearly claiming a third wicket shortly after, only to be denied in dramatic fashion.
Experienced duo Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine then aimed to stabilize the innings, slowly building their partnership past 30 to take the score to 99/2 after 14 overs. After completing her over, Deepti Sharma, who had just bowled a full delivery driven by Kerr for a single, was walking over to the umpire to retrieve her cap when the Kiwi batters suddenly began running frantically between the stumps.
Devine, noticing Harmanpreet jogging over for a switch of ends, seized the moment to attempt a sneaky run. But Harmanpreet was quick to react, delivering an accurate throw to the striker’s end for the run-out. In a humorous twist, the square-leg umpire was busy tying her shoelaces as the appeal unfolded.
Replays revealed that the umpires had already called the over, meaning the ball was dead when the run was taken, and thus the run-out did not count.
— Arijit Shanto (@ArijitShan18431) October 4, 2024
— Arijit Shanto (@ArijitShan18431) October 4, 2024
Harmanpreet and the coaching staff on the sidelines attempted to explain their case to the fourth official, but their pleas went unheard. However, karma struck soon after, as Kerr fell to a wicket just two deliveries later, prompting Harmanpreet to show her emotions in a big way.