New Zealand identify the 'Poonam Yadav' threat ahead of their clash in the group stage

Ahead of Team India's clash with New Zealand on Thursday in the ICC T20 Women's World Cup, the Blackcaps have identified leg-spinner, Poonam Yadav, as a threat for their team. This comes after Poonam Yadav rattled defending champions Australia's batting lineup in a low-scoring match in the World Cup opener. Yadav had missed out on a hattrick as she ended the match with figures of 4/19.

Speaking to media on Sunday, New Zealand captain Sophia Devine was asked the keys according to her to beat India, to which she replied, "Know how to play Poonam Yadav is probably a good start. She is quality, she is hard to face. When you are only four-foot it is pretty tough to figure out a way to combat that. So that's certainly going to be a lot of our discussions, as how we play against her."

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'She bowled quite cleverly'

In the opening match of ICC Women's T20 World Cup between India and Australia on Friday, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav had spun a web of googlies to trap the Australian batting lineup to grab a win in the opener. Chasing a mere total of 133, Australia seemed determined to win the match until Yadav triggered a batting collapse beginning with skipper Meg Lanning's wicket. Alyssa Healy, who top-scored with 51 runs for the Aussies, admitted after the match that Australia walked into Poonam Yadav’s trap. "We fell for Poonam's plan hook, line and sinker," ICC quoted Healy saying after the match. 

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Furthermore, Healy added, "Full credit to Poonam, she bowled quite cleverly tonight. She bowled that first over as a regular leg-spinner and then slowed it up. We didn't adapt to that well enough." The leg spinner was also adjudged as the Player of the Match for her brilliant spell of 4 for 19 off her four overs. Yadav scalped the precious wicket of Alyssa Healy and dismissed Rachael Haynes, Ellyse Perry, and Jess Jonassen as well. Yadav was also hailed by several personalities including Harsha Bhogle and Ravi Shastri. 

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