New Zealand batter Brooke Halliday addressed the media after her side’s six-wicket loss to South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. Despite a strong start, New Zealand faltered in the middle overs, eventually posting a below-par total that South Africa comfortably chased down.
Halliday, who scored a brisk 45 off 37 deliveries, shared her thoughts on where things went wrong and how the team plans to regroup moving forward.
“We were going really well. The partnership between Sophie and me was about setting the platform for the last few overs. We were hoping to make a competitive score. Unfortunately, we just lost too many wickets and ended up, in my opinion, a little below par.”
New Zealand had been cruising at one stage, with Sophie Devine, celebrating her 300th international appearance, anchoring the innings with a fine 85-run knock. However, the middle-order collapse cost the team, leaving them short of the desired total.
“It was a big day for Sophie and Suzie (Bates, playing her 350th international). ” Reflecting on the occasion, Halliday praised the contributions of her teammates and the significance of the day.
“Sophie’s been really good the last two games. The biggest thing for us today was that it was a really big day for Sophie and Suzie. The way they’ve served New Zealand Cricket is incredible,” Halliday said.
“It would have been really good for us to help Sophie out there and make it a competitive game. It’s disappointing that we couldn’t put in the performance we wanted, but the way Sophie’s batted, not just today but also in the last game has been really good.”
When asked if the pitch changed drastically between innings, Halliday credited South Africa’s bowlers for their precision and execution.
“It’s hard to tell, but I think the biggest difference was probably the lengths they bowled,” she explained. “South Africa, especially up front, bowled very good lengths into the pitch. It nipped a bit and made batting tough, especially when they attacked the stumps.
We, on the other hand, probably overpitched a little, which made it easier for them to score. Once a batter gets in, it becomes easier but those first 10-20 balls are key. If we can’t execute our line and length early, it really helps the opposition.”
After two straight defeats, questions arose about potential changes to New Zealand’s playing combination. Halliday acknowledged that such decisions rest with the management but stressed the importance of staying positive. “It’s not the start we wanted, but the tournament is long.
“We’ll review today’s game, travel tomorrow, and prepare for our next match against Bangladesh. We can’t dwell too much on today. Yes, it’s not the start we wanted, but there are still five games to go. If we win the next five, we’re still in a very good position to make the semifinals.”
“If South Africa can start fresh (after a 69 all-out vs England), so can we,” ending on a hopeful note, Halliday echoed South Africa’s mindset of resetting after a tough start.
Despite the defeat, New Zealand will look to bounce back quickly when they face Bangladesh next, a crucial fixture to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
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