New Zealand overcame an early struggle and stutter as they recovered from a precarious position to get to a competitive total. New Zealand looked determined to get off the mark in the tournament after 2 losses to start their campaign and they did so in the end. Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, New Zealand were in trouble, but a couple of 60s from Brooke Halliday and captain Sophie Devine alongside a late flourish from the lower order took the score to 227/9 in 50 overs.
While defending the score, New Zealand were all over Bangladesh. Lea Tahuhu and Jess Kerr picked up 3 wickets apiece while Rosemary Mair picked up a couple of wickets as New Zealand ran riot and dismissed Bangladesh for 127 in 39.5 overs. New Zealand get their first win in three games and are now back on track before they now head off to Colombo to play Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Premadasa Stadium. Lots of learnings for Bangladesh going forward.
Brooke Halliday & Sophie Devine guides New Zealand to 227/9
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer came out to bat for New Zealand while Marufa Akter had ball in hand for Bangladesh. Marufa started with a beamer a high full toss which resulted in a free hit which did not yield anything. Marufa thought she had Bates LBW but Bates reviewed and the impact was well outside off-stump to get it overturned. She bowled a decent over. Nahida Akter had ball in her hand from the other end and she bowled a quiet over.
Marufa continued as Bates stayed deep in her crease to a short ball outside off-stump. She got on top of the bounce and punched it firmly through cover point for a boundary. Bates also crunched her square of the wicket by cutting it past backward point fielder for a boundary. Nahida continued and bowled a miserly over. Rabeya Khan was introduced into the attack next as Bates played the deft touch by late cutting it past slip fielder for a boundary at third man.
Marufa changed ends as Bates took the attack to her by hitting back-to-back boundaries through extra covers and the other one through forward square leg region. Bates was on a roll as she got another boundary away off Marufa through a square drive through backward point and point for a boundary. Nahida Akter came back into the attack and bowled a quiet over. Nishita Akter Nishi came into the attack next and bowled a miserly over.
Rabeya Khan came back into the attack and she struck for Bangladesh dismissing Plimmer for 4 off 18 balls. Rabeya bowled a flighted leg break on a good length delivery around off-stump. Plimmer stepped out of the crease and looked to push it straight but failed to get to the pitch of the ball. She got beaten on the outside edge and Sultana behind the stumps did the rest.
Amelia Kerr came out to bat next. New Zealand lost another wicket as Suzie Bates was run out via a miscommunication as the dive could not save her. She went for 29 off 33 balls with 6 fours to her name. Captain Sophie Devine came out to bat next.
Nahida bowled the last over of powerplay and it was a maiden over. New Zealand were 35/2 in 10 overs at the end of the first powerplay. Rabeya continued and got rid of Amelia Kerr for 1 off 10 balls. Rabeya bowled a flighted leg break on the stumps got it to drift in and spin away a fraction after pitching. Kerr looked to defend it with a straight bat but played down the wrong line. She got beaten on the outside edge and the ball crashed onto the stumps. Brooke Halliday came to the crease next.
Nishi came back into the attack and bowled a quiet over. Rabeya continued and kept things tight. Nishi too kept things under check. Fahima Khatun came into the attack next. She too bowled a decent over as New Zealand reached 49/3 in 15 overs when the umpires called for the first Drinks Break. Nishi continued after the break and kept things tight. Halliday finally broke the shackles as she went for the reverse sweep to hit it fine all along the ground to third man region for a boundary.
Nishi continued and bowled another quiet over. Khatun too kept things under check. Marufa returned to the bowling crease as Halliday broke the shackles by going back in her crease and cutting it late. The ball beat backward point diving to her right for a boundary. After 20 overs, New Zealand were struggling at 70/3. Rabeya Khan returned to the attack and bowled another tight over.
Nishi was brought back into the attack as Halliday hit her by going down on one knee and swept behind square through deep backward square leg for a boundary. Rabeya continued and kept things under check. Nishi also bowled another tight over. Nahida Akter came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. At the halfway stage of the first innings, New Zealand were 84/3 after 25 overs with some work to do in the second half of the innings.
Fahima Khatun returned to the bowling crease and kept things tight as the 50-run stand came up between Halliday and Devine. Shorna Akter came into the attack next. She bowled a decent first over. Fahima continued and bowled another tidy over as runs were coming in singles with the boundaries dried up. Shorna too kept things under check. Fahima continued as the 100 came up for New Zealand in 29.2 overs. After 30 overs, New Zealand were 104/3.
Shorna continued and bowled another quiet over. Nishi came back into the attack and overstepped despite being a spinner. Halliday took full toll of it and brought up her fifty in 80 balls. Halliday tossed it up on the fuller side on leg stump, Halliday took her front leg out of the way and got underneath it one and lifted it nicely over mid-on for a boundary. Halliday then next took on Akter for the maximum. It was tossed up delivery outside off-stump above Halliday’s eyeline who got down on one knee and slog swept it handsomely over the midwicket region for the maximum. Halliday completed 1000 runs in Women’s Cricket.
Devine was then dropped by Sultana off Akter as the captain rode her luck. Marufa came back into the attack and kept things tight. Rabeya came back into the attack next. She too bowled a decent over. Nahida Akter came back into the attack. She bowled a miserly over to keep things tight. Fahima Khatun came back into the attack. She bowled a decent over as well. Marufa Akter came back into the attack. The 100-run stand came up between Devine and Halliday.
Devine got her first boundary away by drilling it past covers for a boundary. Devine was not done yet as she flicked it between square leg and short fine leg for a boundary. Fahima continued as Halliday got into the act by getting down on one knee and pulled it past square leg and beat deep midwicket for a boundary. The 150 came up for New Zealand in 38.1 overs. Khatun broke the big stand as she dismissed Halliday for 69 off 104 balls with 5 fours and one six to her name.
Fahima tossed this one up on the stumps. Halliday went down on one knee and went for a slog sweep. She got a top edge and Sultana behind the stumps moved a couple of steps to her right and took a simple catch. Maddy Green came out to bat next. Rabeya Khan came back for another spell. She bowled a quiet over as New Zealand at the end of 40 overs were 153/4 with 60 legal balls left.
Nahida Akter came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Devine took some medications as there was a pause in play. Nishi continued and bowled a decent over. Fahima Khatun continued and bowled another miserly over. Devine took the attack now to Nishi by coming down the track and swinging across the line over midwicket region for the maximum as she reached yet another fifty in 82 balls. Devine teed off again as she went down on one knee and swung across the line to clear midwicket for the maximum.
Nishi in the end had the last laugh as she dismissed Devine for 63 off 85 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to her name. Nishi bowled the length delivery on the middle stump line and went straight with the arm. It was not full enough for Devine to go for the slog sweep once again. She got down on one knee and swung for another big hit. She failed to judge the line of the ball and it went through the gat to hut the middle stump. Isabella Gaze came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Nishi ended her spell.
Nahida continued as Maddy Green jumped down the track and heaves it into the leg side to pick up the gap between deep midwicket and wide long-on for a boundary. Green then smashed down the ground over the umpire’s head for a boundary to end the 45th over with the score for New Zealand reading 191/5 in 45 overs. Rabeya came back into the attack and bowled a quiet over. Nahida continued and bowled another miserly over.
Green swept Rabeya by going down on one knee and played the lofted sweep to deep midwicket for a boundary as the 200 came up for New Zealand in 47.1 overs. Rabeya hit back by getting rid of Green for 25 off 28 balls with 3 fours to her name. Rabeya bowled a length delivery pitched on the middle stump line. Green stepped outside the crease to work it in the leg side with soft hands. It passed between bat and pad where Sultana did the rest behind the stumps. Jess Kerr came out to bat next and was run out first ball for a golden duck as she tried to steal a single at extra cover and was short of her ground. Rosemary Mair came out to bat and got off the mark straightaway.
Rabeya Khan ended her magnificent spell. Nahida was asked to bowl the penultimate over. Gaze hammered her down the ground straight as an arrow for a boundary. Nahida then dismissed Mair for 2 off 4 balls. She bowled full and flighted ball on the leg stump line. Mair advanced down the pitch and yorked herself. She failed to dig the ball out. The ball went through and was collected behind the leg stump by Sultana who took the bails off easily. Lea Tahuhu came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Marufa Akter came to bowl the final over of the innings. Tahuhu took her head on and playing the lofted drive down the ground for a boundary piercing long-off and long-on. Tahuhu then took on Marufa straight down the ground like an arrow and cleared the ropes for the maximum. Tahuhu was dropped by Nahida off Marufa as she got to the other end. Marufa then dismissed Gaze for 12 off 13 balls with one boundary to her name.
Marufa bowled a good length delivery pitching on the off-stump line and seaming back in. Gaze swivelled across the line from her crease and was beaten all ends up. The ball went through the gate to hit the top of the leg stump. Eden Carson came out to bat next. She got the outside edge that went past Sultana who dropped it by diving to her right. The ball went away to the third man fence for a boundary. There was a bye to end the innings as New Zealand ended with 227/9 in 50 overs with Tahuhu remaining unbeaten on 12 off 4 balls with one four and one six to her name while Carson remained unbeaten on 4 off 2 balls with a boundary to her name. 6 extras given by Bangladesh team.
Rabeya Khan was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh with figures of 3/30 in 10 overs. Nahida Akter finished with 1/36 in 10 overs. Nishita Akter Nishi finished with 1/47 in 10 overs. Fahima Khatun finished with 1/37 in 9 overs. Marufa Akter was expensive with her figures of 1/58 in 7 overs. Shorna Akter finished with 0/18 in 4 overs. This meant that Bangladesh needed a stiff 228 runs to win off 50 overs to upstage New Zealand.
All-round bowling performance skittles Bangladesh out for 127 in 39.5 overs
Chasing 228 for an improbable win, Rubya Haider and Sharmin Akhter came out to bat for Bangladesh while Rosemary Mair had ball in hand for New Zealand. Mair bowled a miserly first over. Jess Kerr had the ball in hand from the other end. Jess too kept things tight. Mair continued and bowled a quiet over. Jess Kerr bowled a maiden over. Mair got New Zealand the breakthrough dismissing Sharmin for 3 off 9 balls.
Mair bowled a good length delivery just outside the off-stump line got it to move in sharply after pitching. Shamim prod forward to defend it but left a gap between bat and pad. The ball snuck through to crash on the middle stump. Captain Nigar Sultana came out to bat next. Jess Kerr continued and bowled another quiet over. Mair continued and almost got Sultana LBW. The appeal was turned down and on reviews it was umpire’s call that saved Sultana. Mair kept things tight.
Jess Kerr continued and got rid of Haider for 4 off 19 balls. Kerr bowled a little fuller this time outside off-stump. Haider planted her front leg and looked to play the lofted drive over mid-off. She mistimed it completely and Devine inside the ring moved forward and dived to grab it inches above the ground. Sobhana Mostary came out to bat next. Captain Sophie Devine came out to bat next. Devine bowled a miserly first over. Kerr gifted away 5 wides to the batting side as a bonus. Kerr struck again as she removed Mostary for 2 off 11 balls.
Jess bowled a good length delivery on the pads, Mostary hung deep in the crease and looked to flick it but closed the bat face a bit early. She got a leading edge that settled in the safe hands of Tahuhu at short third man. The leg cutter from Jess did the job for her side. MST Sumaiya Akhter came out to bat next. At the end of 10 overs, Bangladesh were struggling at 22/3.
Amelia Kerr came into the attack post the powerplay. She gifted away 4 byes to the batting side. Lea Tahuhu came into the attack next. Tahuhu bowled another miserly over. Amelia Kerr returned and got rid of Sultana for 4 off 28 balls. Jess tossed it up nicely above the eyeline of the batter. The impact was outside off-stump, Sultana stepped out of the crease and looked to lift it down the ground. She got it right off the toe end of the bat and skied it as mid-off ran back and took the catch. Fahima Khatun came out to bat after Drinks.
Amelia bowled a maiden over. Tahuhu got into the act as she removed Akhter for 1 off 9 balls. Fuller delivery outside off-stump, Sumaiya looked to slog it across the line but got hurried by the pacer. She ended up mistiming it off the outer half of her bat and in the off-side. Bates at covers settled underneath it and pouched it safely with a reverse cup. Shorna Akter came out to bat next. Tahuhu then removed Shorna for 1 off 4 balls.
Tahuhu bowled a good length delivery on off-stump and nipped back after pitching. Shorna shuffled and looked to work it into the leg side but played all over it. She wore it on the front pad right in front of the stumps and the umpire raised the finger. Shorna reviewed as well and ball tracking showed it to be clipping the stumps as Umpire’s call saved the batter. Nahida Akter came out to bat next.
Amelia continued as Nahida got an outside edge through the big gap between the keeper and widish first slip for a boundary. Eden Carson came into the attack next. Carson bowled a miserly over first up. Amelia Kerr continued and gave nothing away. Carson too kept things tight. Amelia Kerr kept things under check. Eden Carson continued as Nahida broke the shackles by striking it hard down the ground past mid-on for a boundary as the 50 came up for Bangladesh in 19.3 overs. After 20 overs, Bangladesh were reeling at 51/6.
Amelia Kerr continued and bowled a tight over. Lea Tahuhu came back into the attack. Nahida got a rare boundary off Tahuhu. The ball was short and wide outside off-stump. Nahida rocked back and slapped it through the off-side as the ball beat the fielders and away it went for a boundary. Rosemary Mair came into the attack next. Khatun hit Mair off a thick outside edge as she slashed the short and wide outside off-stump and got the edge down to third man fence.
Mair then got rid of Nahida Akter for 17 off 32 balls with 3 fours to her name. Mair bowled a short and away from the off-stump line. Nahida could have left or played a late cut. Instead she played it fairly early and straight into the hands of Carson at backward point. Rabeya Khan came out to bat next. Tahuhu continued and bowled a miserly over. Mair continued as Khatun broke the shackles by playing the upper cut over backward point for a boundary. At the halfway stage of the chase, Bangladesh were going nowhere in the chase at 73/7 in 25 overs.
Tahuhu continued and got the outside edge off Fahima Khatun to the keeper Gaze who puts down a dolly. Amelia Kerr returned to the attack. She bowled a decent over. Maddy Green was introduced into the attack. Green bowled a decent first over. Amelia continued and kept things tight. Green continued and bowled a decent over yet again. After 30 overs, Bangladesh were 88/7 as the players paused for the Drinks Break.
Amelia Kerr continued after the break. There was a brief delay as floodlights had gotten off and had to be turned back on. Fahima was given OUT LBW but Fahima reviewed and challenged it and overturned the decision in her favour. Maddy Green continued and bowled another quiet over. Rabeya pulled Kerr past short fine leg for a boundary to break the shackles a little bit. Amelia Kerr finished her spell. Jess continued as the 100 came up for Bangladesh in 33.3 overs.
Brooke Halliday came into the attack. Halliday bowled a decent first over. Rabeya then hit Jess over mid-on as the ball went away to the fence. Jess broke the frustrating stand as she removed Rabeya for 25 off 39 balls with 2 fours to her name. Jess bowled a little fuller than good length outside off, Rabeya leaned into it and checked her drive. She was early into the shot and ended up chipping it straight to covers where Plimmer took a simple catch. Nishita Akter Nishi came out to bat next.
Halliday continued and overstepped. She knocked Nishi over off a free hit but would count only as a dot ball. Jess Kerr continued and kept things under check. Tahuhu came back into the attack as Nishi whipped it away to deep square leg and deep fine leg for a boundary. Tahuhu hit back by getting rid of Nishi for 5 off 6 balls with one boundary to her name.
Tahuhu bowled a good length delivery seaming back in from the fourth stump line seaming back in sharply. Nishita was trapped in the crease pushing at the ball. The big gap between bat and pad. The ball nipped back and has taken the top of the off-stump. Marufa Akter came to the crease at last.
Eden Carson returned to the attack and got rid of Fahima Khatun for 34 off 80 balls with 2 fours to her name. Carson bowled a full length delivery outside the off-stump. Fahima stepped down the pitch playing a big shot. She got a top edge flying up in the off-side. Georgia Plimer at covers settled underneath it to take the catch under lights. Marufa remained unbeaten on 1 off 3 balls as Bangladesh were skittled out for 127 in 39.5 overs. 30 extras given by the fielding side.
Lots of bowlers used by New Zealand who did their job. Lea Tahuhu finished with 3/22 in 6 overs. Jess Kerr finished with 3/21 in 8 overs. Rosemary Mair chipped in with 2/20 in 6 overs. Amelia Kerr finished with 1/23 in 10 overs. Eden Carson finished with 1/13 in 3.5 overs. Sophie Devine bowled an over for 3 runs. Maddy Green bowled 3 overs for 9 runs while Brooke Halliday bowled 2 overs for 8 runs. So, New Zealand win by 100 runs to get their first win in World Cup 2025. For her outstanding innings, Brooke Halliday was awarded the Player of the Match Award.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon moves from Guwahati to the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo where 4-time winners and last tournament’s runners-up England face off with hosts Sri Lanka in a vital clash. It is Match 12 of the tournament and important two points up for grabs in a turning surface. The contest will be intriguing.
Let’s see how this clash will go tomorrow afternoon in Colombo.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI WC 2025: Brooke Halliday, Sophie Devine Star As New Zealand Get To 227/9