The 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup had an epic start to the tournament as West Indies upset the hosts New Zealand in the First Match of the 2022 edition. Winning the toss, the Kiwis opted to Bowl first.
West Indies had a bad start losing the experienced Deandra Dottin in the 3rd over. The young sensation Hayley Matthews was on a roll as she scored a magnificent century in her World Cup debut. She had 3 great partnerships with Stephanie Taylor, Shemaine Campbelle, and Chedean Nation. The Barbados batter scored 119 with 16 fours and one maximum taking the West Indies to 259 for 9 at the end of 50 Overs.
In response, the hosts New Zealand lost the stalwart Suzie Bates early. Captain Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr had a small partnership. Post Kerr’s dismissal, the middle order collapsed and Devine stood strong and scored the bulk runs at one end trying her best to take New Zealand home. She got valuable support from Wicketkeeper Katey Martin and Devine scored her magnificent century, the first one in 4 years. She departed for 108 when the score was 215 with the Kiwis requiring 45 runs in 6 overs. The lower order almost finished the job until Deandra Dottin came to defend 6 runs in the final over. She took 2 back to back wickets with the equation coming to 4 runs from 2 balls. In, the penultimate ball she ran out Fran Jonas and thus the Caribbean women upset the hosts to win the game by 3 runs.
Match 1:
🌴West Indies: 259/9
Hayley Matthews: 119 (128)
Chedean Nation: 36 (46)
Lea Tahuhu: 3/57 (9 overs)🇳🇿New Zealand: 256/10
Sophie Devine: 108 (127)
Katey Martin: 44 (47)
Hayley Matthews: 2/41 (10 overs)🌴WI won by 3 runs✨#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/AL7q750lEj
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 4, 2022
The social media went on fire post the match. Fans were just shocked by the turn of events in the last over. Deandra Dottin was applauded for her match-winning final over.
Here are a few reactions on Twitter
Saw the Last 5 overs of the Game…
Totally Worth it…
NZ had this in the Bag, once they got 14 in the penultimate over…
But Dottin WOW….what confidence…
What a Wonderful Last Over…a Well Deserved Victory for West Indies and Brilliant Entertainment for the Viewers…🤘🏻— Prashant Patel (@gentleprash) March 4, 2022
The NZ Women’s team that beat AUS Women in the warm ups has lost to WI Women in the opening match of the tournament. This WWC is going to be entertaining!#CWC22 #NewZealandWomen #WestIndiesWomen
— Cricketkeeda (@Cricketkeeda10) March 4, 2022
“Give me the ball” – @Dottin_5 before the final over and THE REST IS HISTORY! 👏🙂
World Boss for a reason! 👏
📸: ESPNCricinfo#CWC22 #TeamNewZealand #TeamWestIndies pic.twitter.com/Cg1K1nDQPC
— Shruti Banerjee | #CWC22 (@shruti_1230) March 4, 2022
Deandra Dottin you legendddd
— Carlos Brathwaite (@CRBrathwaite26) March 4, 2022
#CWC22
If this is the first one what we gonna served in finals🤯🤯🤯— Jahanvi Gupta (@Jahanvi22257121) March 4, 2022
I am exhausted….already!! AND is it only game 1 of the #CWC22
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) March 4, 2022
Less cometh the hour cometh the superstar and more cometh the hour grabbeth the superstar in Deandra Dottin’s heroics in the final over. Almost felt like she grabbed the ball from her captain’s hands & decided to go win the match for the West Indies #CWC22 #NZvWI
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) March 4, 2022
I know Barbados is a republic now, but surely no one will object to Deandra Dottin being queen?
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) March 4, 2022
What a match to start #CWC22 !
There’s not much more fun in cricket than when Deandra Dottin pulls off her magic like in that final over!
— Paul Muchmore (@paulmuchmore) March 4, 2022
WOW WOW WOW. DEANDRA DOTTIN! What a move from Stafanie Taylor. Captaincy on point today!
Martin goes. #CWC22
— Lavanya (Following #CWC22) (@lav_narayanan) March 4, 2022
What an absolute legend – Deandra Dottin! 🔥😍
Didn’t bowl a single over in the entire match – then went to Skipper and said – “give me the ball”
Successfully defended 6 Runs to script a historic Win.#CWC22 #DeandraDottin @Dottin_5 pic.twitter.com/ZiZyGywWrY
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 4, 2022
Loves all things female cricket
