Australia boasts an impressive streak of nine consecutive ODI series victories. However, New Zealand has a history of defying expectations, proving that past performance and statistics can be irrelevant on the global stage.
Big Picture
Considering recent results, Australia continues its dominance in One Day Internationals, living up to its status as world champions. In stark contrast, fourth-ranked New Zealand enters this World Cup with a less impressive track record. Australia has secured victories in their last nine ODI series, with their last defeat in the ODI format occurring during the 2023 Ashes in England. They have consistently outperformed opponents both at home and abroad. With frequent tours to India and their star players acclimating to local conditions through three years in the Women`s Premier League (WPL), Australia recently solidified their preparation by winning a three-match warm-up series in northern India 2-1.
New Zealand lacks a similar history of recent dominance. Their memories of the 2022 World Cup, hosted on home soil, are likely disappointing, having finished sixth out of eight teams. A particularly heavy defeat saw them dismissed for just 128 runs by Australia in Wellington, leading to a 141-run loss. Furthermore, they haven`t competed in an ODI for half a year.
However, the previous year demonstrated that current form and past statistics aren`t always indicative of future success. Despite entering the T20 World Cup with ten consecutive losses in the format, New Zealand remarkably went on to claim their first T20 World Cup title, showcasing an outstanding all-around performance in challenging UAE conditions. Key players from that triumphant squad are still present to lead a turnaround: captain Sophie Devine, veteran Suzie Bates, pace spearhead Lea Tahuhu, and star all-rounder Amelia Kerr, among others.
The Holkar Stadium in Indore, renowned for its batting-friendly pitches, will be the venue for this encounter, marking its inaugural women`s international match this Wednesday.
Form Guide
Form Guide (last five completed matches, most recent first):
- Australia: WLWWW
- New Zealand: WWLLL
In the Spotlight: Alyssa Healy and Sophie Devine
During her last World Cup appearance in 2022, Alyssa Healy was instrumental in Australia securing their record seventh title, scoring consecutive centuries in the semi-final and final. This time, however, the situation is markedly different. She is leading the team in her first ODI World Cup as captain, following Meg Lanning`s retirement, and has recently recovered from a foot stress fracture. Her return to international cricket in recent bilateral series in India yielded modest scores of 1, 30, and 9. Healy will be eager to capitalize on this high-stakes occasion and the flat pitch to build significant scores. Against New Zealand, her average stands at 31.40 with a strike rate of 89.97, notably lower than her overall ODI strike rate of 97.90. New Zealand will undoubtedly aim to keep these figures suppressed in Wednesday`s match.
This series marks Sophie Devine`s final run in ODI cricket, as she will only feature in T20Is thereafter. Having captained her team to T20 World Cup success less than a year ago, Devine aims to conclude her ODI career on a high note, with her all-round abilities expected to be crucial, starting Wednesday. She arrives at the tournament in excellent form from The Hundred and brings extensive experience of Indian playing conditions, having first toured the nation as a 17-year-old in 2007.
Team News: One Concern for New Zealand
Australia`s entire squad participated in Tuesday evening`s training session under floodlights, dispelling earlier injury worries. Phoebe Litchfield (low-grade quad strain), Annabel Sutherland (hip soreness), and Darcie Brown (back spasms) had faced issues during recent bilateral matches in India, while Ellyse Perry battled illness during warm-up games. However, vice-captain Tahlia McGrath confirmed on Tuesday that all players are fit for selection. The primary decision revolves around the optimal combination of spinners and pacers. With Sophie Molineux making her comeback after knee surgery in a warm-up against England, Australia might consider replacing one of their leg-spinners, Alana King or Georgia Wareham, with her.
Australia (Probable XI):
- 1. Alyssa Healy (captain & wicketkeeper)
- 2. Phoebe Litchfield
- 3. Ellyse Perry
- 4. Beth Mooney
- 5. Annabel Sutherland
- 6. Ashleigh Gardner
- 7. Tahlia McGrath
- 8. Sophie Molineux
- 9. Kim Garth
- 10. Alana King/Georgia Wareham
- 11. Megan Schutt
New Zealand has one injury concern, though Captain Devine refrained from disclosing the player`s name during Tuesday`s press conference. Aside from this, their squad is a promising mix of young talent and seasoned players. If the unnamed player recovers in time for Wednesday`s match, the team selection should be straightforward. Devine also hinted at the possibility of uncapped 22-year-old left-arm spinner Flora Devonshire making her ODI debut in the opening fixture.
New Zealand (Probable XI):
- 1. Suzie Bates
- 2. Georgia Plimmer
- 3. Amelia Kerr
- 4. Sophie Devine (captain)
- 5. Brooke Halliday
- 6. Maddy Green
- 7. Isabella Gaze (wicketkeeper)
- 8. Eden Carsen
- 9. Jess Kerr
- 10. Flora Devonshire
- 11. Lea Tahuhu
Pitch and Conditions
For its inaugural women`s international match, the Indore pitch curator has prepared a flat track, a sentiment echoed by both Devine and McGrath after their inspection. They unanimously described it as an `incredibly flat` surface, indicating the potential for a `run fest,` consistent with its reputation during men`s white-ball games. The lead-up to the match in Indore has been humid, with scattered clouds and intermittent sunshine. While temperatures are not expected to exceed 30 degrees Celsius, the high humidity could make conditions feel considerably more challenging for the fielding side once the game commences.
Stats and Trivia
- Australia has an unbeaten record against New Zealand in their last 15 completed ODIs, with their most recent loss dating back to February 2017.
- Since the beginning of 2024, New Zealand has secured only one ODI series victory, suffering four defeats (two at home and two away).
- Suzie Bates, aged 38, is on the verge of reaching 6000 runs in ODIs, needing just 104 more. If achieved, she would become only the second woman to reach this milestone, after Mithali Raj (7805 runs). Bates also shares the second-highest number of ODI centuries with Smriti Mandhana, trailing only Meg Lanning`s 15.
- New Zealand`s last ODI World Cup triumph over Australia occurred in 2009, a match where Sophie Devine batted at number 10 and Australia`s current coach, Shelley Nitschke, opened the innings.
Quotes
“While those statistics exist, and we acknowledge them, they hold little significance at World Cups. For us, past records and results become irrelevant.”
– New Zealand captain Sophie Devine, downplaying Australia`s statistical advantage.
“I sometimes jokingly refer to myself as a spinner when I slow down my pace and take some speed off the ball. This makes me confident in my ability to adapt to any pitch and utilize various bowling techniques to suit different conditions.”
– Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath, highlighting her versatility as a bowler and all-rounder on Indian pitches.
