The second clash of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 will see defending champions Australia lock horns with arch-rivals New Zealand on October 1st at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. The contest gets underway from 3:00 PM (IST) and promises a riveting battle between two familiar foes.
Australia arrives with valuable experience of Indian conditions, having played a three-match ODI series against the hosts in September. Their tour began with Phoebe Litchfield’s composed 88 guiding a successful chase in the opener, but a crushing 102-run defeat in the second ODI—dismissed for just 190—was a reality check.
True to their champion mentality, they stormed back in the Delhi decider with a record 412, built on Beth Mooney’s majestic 138 and Georgia Voll’s 81, sealing the series despite India’s spirited reply. However, their warm-up fixture against England ended in defeat, as the hosts chased down their target of 248.
New Zealand, meanwhile, last featured in ODIs in March 2025 against Sri Lanka. After the first game was washed out, the White Ferns clinched the series 2-0 with resounding wins by 78 runs and 98 runs. Their World Cup preparations, however, hit turbulence in warm-ups—falling to India A by four wickets (DLS) and again to India by four wickets (DLS), exposing areas of concern ahead of this big clash.
Squads:
Australia Women’s Cricket Team
Alyssa Healy (C), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
New Zealand Women’s Cricket Team
Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu
Players to watch out:
Beth Mooney
Ranked No.3 in the world, Mooney enters in sublime form. In the September series against India, she registered scores of 77*, 18, and 138, underlining her dominance in the middle order. She followed that up with an unbeaten 59* in the warm-up against England. Across 85 ODIs, she has compiled 2,786 runs at an outstanding average of 49.75, with a career-best of 138.
Sophie Molineux
Returning from a long layoff with a knee injury, Molineux remains a vital all-rounder. In the warm-up against England, the left-arm spinner bowled 5.3 overs for 1/37. In just 13 ODIs, she has taken 23 wickets at a remarkable economy of 3.29, with best figures of 4/14, while also contributing handy runs down the order.
Sophie Devine
The White Ferns skipper showed glimpses of form in warm-ups, scoring 34 and 1/54 against India A, followed by 54 and 0/35 against India. With 152 ODIs under her belt, she has piled up 3,990 runs (HS 145) and taken 107 wickets (BB 3/24), making her the heartbeat of the side.
Amelia Kerr
A proven match-winner with both bat and ball, Kerr had mixed warm-up outings, scoring 1 and 2/26 against India A, then 40 and 0/41 against India. In 77 ODIs, she has scored 2,167 runs (HS 232*) and is on the brink of 100 wickets, with 99 to her name (BB 5/17).
Pitch:
The Holkar Stadium traditionally produces high-scoring encounters but offers turn as the game progresses, bringing spinners into play. Captains winning the toss generally prefer to bat first, with the average first-innings score hovering around 280. On average, nine wickets fall per innings here.
Weather:
Indore is set for hot and humid conditions, with the mercury touching 29°C. Rain is unlikely with only a 5% chance, though humidity levels may climb to 78%. Gentle winds at around 10 kph could provide some assistance to seamers early on.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Ash Gardner, Megan Schutt, Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu
Match Details:
Date – October 1, 2025
Time – 3:00 PM IST
Venue – Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore
Broadcast – Live streaming on JioHotstar; Telecast on Star Sports Network
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