New Delhi: New Zealand and West Indies will get the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 underway on Friday in Mount Maunganui when they face off in the opening game of the tournament.
Only three nations have ever won a Women’s Cricket World Cup, and New Zealand are one of those courtesy of their 2000 triumph on home soil.
But the White Ferns have not reached a final in over a decade and will need to perform far above their ranking level of fifth in the world if they are to claim the trophy at home for a second time.
A win on the board first up would ease the nerves for Sophie Devine’s host team, and they will fancy their chances of doing just that against a West Indies side who have won just 13 of their 39 ODI matches since the last 50-over World Cup in England back in 2017.
Recent form suggests that New Zealand could be peaking at precisely the right time, with Devine’s side going into the tournament on the back of a 4-1 series win over India and a crushing nine-wicket defeat of top-ranked Australia.
However, New Zealand will be wary of a West Indies line-up that possesses some star quality capable of upsetting any opponent at the tournament.
Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin will likely hold the key to the West Indies’ hopes of reaching the semi-finals, and the trio will be eyeing big performances to upset the odds at Bay Oval on Friday.
THE TEAMS
New Zealand Squad: Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite (vc), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Frankie Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu. Travelling Reserve: Molly Penfold
West Indies Squad: Stafanie Taylor (c), Anisa Mohammed (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Rashada William. Travelling Reserves: Kaysia Schultz, Mandy Mangru, Jannillea Glasgow