The opening match of the 12th edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup will be played between the hosts New Zealand and West Indies on March 4 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. While New Zealand go into the World Cup with one win out of two warm-up matches, West Indies have two losses in the warm-up fixtures ahead of the World Cup.
Match preview
Head to Head
New Zealand and West Indies have played 19 matches against each other, out of which, New Zealand have won 11, West Indies have won seven, and one match did not produce a result.
Squads
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (C), Amy Satterthwaite (VC), Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
West Indies: 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 Williams
Players to watch out for
Amy Satterthwaite:
The left-handed top order bat will be the vice-captain of White Ferns for the home World Cup. She is a prolific batter for New Zealand having mustered 4464 ODIs runs in 132 innings, which is the second-highest for the team. Apart from her batting, she can roll her arm over to bowl a bit of off spin. She has 47 ODI wickets in 64 innings.
Amelia Kerr:
She is one of the best all-rounders in the world of women’s ODI cricket. She is one of the three women cricketers to score atleast a half-century and pick up five wickets in the same ODI innings. She also has an ODI double century to her name. She is a right-handed batter and a right arm leg spinner. She has scored 1039 runs and picked up 67 wickets in 46 ODIs that she has played so far.
Stafanie Taylor:
She is the captain of the West Indies team and one of the most experienced players in the side. This right-handed batter has featured in 137 ODIs and scored 5147 runs, including seven centuries and 36 half centuries. She is the top run-getter for the West Indies. She is a genuine all-rounder, who also bowls right arm off spin and has 148 ODI wickets in 125 innings, including the best of 4-17.
Anisa Mohammed:
The vice captain of the West Indies will be playing her fifth World Cup. She is the leading wicket-taker for the West Indies with 174 wickets in 129 ODI innings, including the best of 7-14. The right arm off-spinner has scalped seven four-wicket hauls and half a dozen five wicket hauls. She will lead the West Indian bowling attack.
Pitch
To date, 12 women’s ODIs have been played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Out of the 12 matches, teams batting first have won five and teams batting second have won seven. The highest total scored at this venue is 273 and the lowest total registered here is 104. New Zealand does not have a good record here as they have won just three out of the 12 matches that they have played here. On the other hand, West Indies will be playing an ODI at the Bay Oval for the very first time.
Weather
The weather looks comfortable with a blend of sun and clouds. The average temperature will be around 23 degrees Celsius, with just one percent chance of precipitation and 78 percent cloud cover. The wind will blow from the northeast.
Fantasy playing XI
Katey Martin, Amy Satterthwaite, Chedean Nation, Deandra Dottin, Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine, Stafanie Taylor, Anisa Mohammed, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman
Match Details
Date: March 4, 2022
Time: 6.30am IST
Venue: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.