In a win that New Zealand desperately needed to ignite their ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 campaign, veteran pacer Lea Tahuhu celebrated her 100th ODI appearance with a commanding performance, leading her side to a decisive 100-run victory over Bangladesh at Guwahati on October 10th, 2025.
This triumph, New Zealand’s first in the tournament after losses to Australia and South Africa, was powered by Tahuhu’s impactful spell (3/22 off 6 overs) and a dynamic cameo with the bat (12* off 4 balls), underscoring her enduring value and resilient spirit on a landmark day for the 35-year-old quick.
Talking to the media after her milestone match, Tahuhu’s reflections provided a window into the mindset driving the White Ferns’ pace attack. She remarked, “Yeah, I think it actually just skidded on quite nicely, especially bowling second, we knew that we might get a little bit skiddier and a little bit of dew there. I think it was just about keeping really tight lines out there, letting the wicket do the work, putting the ball on the stumps, and they gave some opportunities there.”
For Tahuhu and her fellow quicks, the sub-continental decks, known for rewarding spinners, posed an extra challenge to assert the value of seam bowling, a point taken personally by the New Zealand attack.
Her pride in the team’s adaptability was evident: “We’ve always been more known for our pace bowling, and we take pride in being able to adapt to different conditions, different countries, you’ve got to be able to bowl everywhere.”
With Jess Kerr chipping in with 3/21 and Rosemary Mair (back from injury) seizing early momentum (2/20), New Zealand’s quicks were at the heart of the win despite the surface favouring Bangladesh’s spinners. Tahuhu highlighted this point, blending praise for her fellow seamers with credit for the versatile spin unit built around Amelia Kerr and Eden Carson.
New Zealand’s tournament opened with two sobering defeats, by 89 runs against Australia and by 6 wickets to South Africa, leaving their World Cup hopes in jeopardy. Tahuhu candidly addressed, “We couldn’t afford to be 0-3 down at the start of a World Cup, so we’ve had some really good discussions, we’ve had some really good trainings in the last couple of days, and it was nice to go out there and put up a performance together.”
While Bangladesh was reduced to 6 wickets down early in the chase, Tahuhu noted the tenacity of their lower-order batters, “You know, there’s been a few batting collapses, but it’s sort of been hard to get those last three or four wickets, and it proved no different today.” She emphasised the importance of patience over desperation, avoiding risky searches for wickets in conditions that easily punish over-eagerness.
The match also showcased leadership from the front, as skipper Sophie Devine (63 off 85) registered her third consecutive World Cup half-century, forging a crucial 112-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Brooke Halliday (69 off 104). Devine’s consistency is reflected in her tournament-leading 260 runs at an average of 86.66 and a strike rate of 88.13.
“It’s never ideal, probably being 3 down that early, but I think the way that Sophie (Devine) has been batting in this tournament, it’s been incredible. She knows what to do in those situations,” Tahuhu said, acknowledging not only Devine’s cricketing wisdom but also her inspirational fortitude in managing her diabetes and batting through adversity.
The batting unit, while under pressure from Bangladesh’s array of spinners, found resolve to keep the scoreboard ticking, with Tahuhu’s own explosive cameo offering late impetus. “It’s nice coming out in the 49th over and sort of having a free hit as such. I do a lot of work on my batting, so it was nice to see one clear the rope,” she shared, reflecting on the personal joy of performing on such a special occasion.
Tahuhu was forthright about the tournament’s unpredictability: “It’s going to be difficult, I think we said that right from the start, every team can beat anyone.” With every fixture now feeling like a must-win and momentum at stake, the Ferns will head to Sri Lanka for crucial matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the coming week. The win in Guwahati has offered not only a lifeline but renewed belief for the team.
The veteran pacer summed up the mood, “This gives us a little bit of momentum heading into the next one, which is really nice. We’ll take a lot of positives from that, but every game’s a must-win really, you’ve got to beat every team, to be able to win that World Cup.”
As New Zealand searches for their best rhythm post a stuttering start, Tahuhu’s milestone and her palpable drive stand as beacons for a squad aiming to go deep in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, determined to remind the world of the enduring power of pace, even on the slowest of tracks.
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