Savar: Skipper Mithali Raj made a strokeful half-century but could not save India from a 17-run defeat in their first warm-up match against New Zealand in the ICC Women's World Twenty20 Championship here today. Put into bat, New Zealand rode on Katie Perkins' 40 off 36 balls to compile 138 for eight in their 20 overs.


Mithali Raj 

In reply, India managed 121 for the loss of eight wickets at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan stadium. Opener Mithali hit seven fours and a six in her 47-ball 53 but failed to find support at the other end. Left-arm pacer Morna Nielsen dealt early blows as she removed Smriti Mandhana (11), Shikha Pandey (0) and Poonam Raut (0) to put India on the backfoot. India were struggling at 67 for five in 12.1 overs when Madhuri Mehta (5) and Latika Kumar (6) were sent back by Hayley Jensen.