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- Australia vs New Zealand highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs in Indore
Australia vs New Zealand highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs in Indore
Molineux’s inclusion means veteran pacer Megan Schutt misses out, with Australia opting for the raw pace of Darcie Brown alongside Kim Garth. The seven-time world champions and defending title holders will be looking to start their campaign on a strong note in what is also the venue’s first-ever women’s international match.
“Just put some runs on the board and see what happens. There's a possibility it could get better later but it didn't happen last night. We played some really tough games of cricket in tough conditions. We're ready to go. The group is in a great place. We're looking at getting better at every single opportunity we get. Want to improve, want to take women's cricket forward,” Healy said at the toss.
New Zealand, meanwhile, are playing their first ODI in six months. Captain Sophie Devine admitted she would have preferred to bat first as well but remained optimistic about her team’s chances.
“But fresh wicket, start of the tournament, not very concerned. I think we've got a great balance within the side. Experience through the batting order in Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, really balanced group,” she said.
“Just grateful for the opportunity to come out here again and represent my country. Fills me with pride. Obviously results are important, but what matters most to me is the people around me,” Devine added.
Playing XIs
Australia: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Darcie Brown
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (capt), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Bree Illing
Alana King to Amelia Kerr, Tossed up around off, Amelia Kerr goes for the drive but gets beaten by the turn.
- Amelia Kerr 30 (40)
- Sophie Devine 27 (41)
Annabel Sutherland to Amelia Kerr, On a length around off, Amelia Kerr punches this through cover for a single.
Annabel Sutherland to Amelia Kerr, WIDE! On a length, down the leg. Amelia Kerr goes for the flick but misses out. Wided.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Good length on off, Sophie Devine goes for the front foot drive but gets it edged off the inside past the leg stump for a single towards fine leg region.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, FOUR! That's been cut away for four runs. Short and wide outside off, Sophie Devine hops onto her back foot and cuts this well past the diving point fielder to her left for a boundary.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Way too many dots from Sophie Devine at the moment. Short and wide around off, Sophie Devine cuts this straight to point for no run.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Goes full, attacking the stumps. Sophie Devine tucks this to mid on for another dot.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Good length around off, Sophie Devine punches this towards extra cover for no run.
- Amelia Kerr 29 (39)
- Sophie Devine 22 (36)
Alana King to Amelia Kerr, Tossed up on middle and leg, Amelia Kerr drills this to mid on for another dot.
Alana King to Amelia Kerr, Quicker and flatter on off, Amelia Kerr blocks this off her back foot.
Alana King to Amelia Kerr, Fuller on middle and off, Amelia Kerr drills this towards mid off for no run.
Alana King to Amelia Kerr, Fuller on off, Amelia Kerr blocks this out.
Alana King to Amelia Kerr, TWO LEG BYES! Floated down the leg, Amelia Kerr goes for the flick but misses out. The ball brushes her front pad and rolls past the keeper to her left. Two taken.
Alana King to Amelia Kerr, Tossed up on off, Amelia Kerr punches this back to the bowler for no run.
- Sophie Devine 22 (36)
- Amelia Kerr 29 (33)
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, A boundary off the first ball is followed by 5 consecutive dots. Good length, angling into the batter, Sophie Devine looks to flick this around mid-wicket but misses out and wears it on her front pad.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, On a length around middle and off, Sophie Devine thumps this towards extra cover for no run.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Back of a length around off, Sophie Devine punches this to extra cover for a dot.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, That kept really low. On a length around middle and leg, Sophie Devine was looking to flick this over mid-wicket but the ball kept low and she adjusted well to just block this out.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Good length around off, Sophie Devine defends this around cover.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, FOUR! A partnership of 50 comes up between Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr with this boundary. Overpitched, around off, Sophie Devine strides towards the pitch of this and drives this in the gap towards the right of deep point for four runs.
- Amelia Kerr 29 (33)
- Sophie Devine 18 (30)
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, Good length on off, Amelia Kerr defends this off her front foot towards mid on for no run.
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, On a length around middle and leg, Amelia Kerr nudges this to mid-wicket for no run.
Darcie Brown to Sophie Devine, On a length around middle and leg, Sophie Devine flicks this through mid-wicket for a single.
Darcie Brown to Sophie Devine, FOUR! Boundaries have now started to come thick and fast for New Zealand Women. Back of a length around off, Sophie Devine punches this past the diving fielder to the left of mid off for four runs.
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, Good length on middle and leg, Amelia Kerr tucks this to fine leg for one.
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, FOUR! Full toss on middle and off, Amelia Kerr strides out in front and drives this all along the carpet through the extra cover region for a gloriously struck boundary. Kerr has looked at ease out in the middle.
- Sophie Devine 13 (28)
- Amelia Kerr 24 (29)
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Hits the hard length on off, Sophie Devine gets behind it and nudges this towards mid on for another dot.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Goes a touch fuller on middle and off, Sophie Devine flicks this to mid-wicket for no run.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, On a length around off, Sophie Devine blocks this out off her front foot.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, On a length around middle and leg, Sophie Devine tucks this to mid on for no run.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Full and wide outside off, Sophie Devine goes for the drives but misses out.
Annabel Sutherland to Sophie Devine, Full toss on the pads, Sophie Devine clips this towards the deep backward square leg region for two.
POWERPLAY 2! A maximum of 4 fielders are now allowed to be stationed outside the inner ring till the 50th over. Annabel Sutherland is called into the attack now. She replaces Kim Garth.
- Amelia Kerr 24 (29)
- Sophie Devine 11 (22)
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, FOUR! Graceful would be an understatement to describe that! Darcie serves a half volley, outside off. Amelia Kerr leans on it and caresses it beautifully through cover and point for a boundary. An expensive start for Darcie Brown as she goes for 12 runs off her first over. After the first Powerplay, New Zealand Women are 36/2.
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, FOUR! Kerr moves into her 20s with that! Short in length from Darcie, on top of off. Amelia Kerr hangs deep and pulls between mid-wicket and square leg for a cracking boundary!
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, Scrambled-seam delivery, a pinpoint yorker, on off. Amelia Kerr jams the bat down and squeezes out to the off side.
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, Seams into the batter, on a good length. Amelia Kerr tries to work it across but misses and wears on the thigh pad. A stifled appeal for LBW, but not entertained.
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, FOUR! CLASS! Short of a good length outside off, nipping away. Amelia Kerr stands tall, lets the ball arrive and cuts it to the left of the diving backward point fielder. The ball races through the practice pitches, beating deep third to her right for a boundary!
Darcie Brown to Amelia Kerr, Nagging length, kissing the surface and kicking up a bit with some shape away. Amelia Kerr misses to cut it square.
New Zealand Women are 24/2 after 9 overs. Australia Women were 69/1 at the same stage. Here's the first change in bowling from the Aussies. Darcie Brown is introduced into the attack, replacing Sophie Molineux. Also, the on-air commentators mention that the Aussie bowlers have generated 35 percent of more swing with the new ball as compared to the Kiwi bowlers.
- Sophie Devine 11 (22)
- Amelia Kerr 12 (23)
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, Slants on the pads, on a length. Sophie Devine misses to put that away and wears on the thigh pad.
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, Straight and full, on off, Sophie Devine mistimes her drive to short cover. Devine just hasn't got that release shot yet.
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, Overpitched, on middle. Sophie Devine plants her front foot ahead and forces it to mid off.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Touch full and on the fifth stump. Amelia Kerr gets on the front foot and caresses it to deep point for a single.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, A little too straight on the pads, Kerr flicks the full ball through mid-wicket and rushes back for the second.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Nagging length with the keeper up to the wickets. Kerr stabs it off the back foot.
New Zealand Women are 21/2 after 8 overs. At the same stage, Australia Women were 63/1.
- Sophie Devine 11 (19)
- Amelia Kerr 9 (20)
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Floated up, full and on off, Kerr pushes it straight to mid off. 5 runs off the over. Sophie Molineux's figures read 4-1-13-1.
Sophie Molineux to Amelia Kerr, Short and wide outside off. Amelia Kerr rocks deep in the crease and cuts it to deep point for a single.
Sophie Molineux to Amelia Kerr, FOUR! Races away! Tossed up a fraction more, on middle and leg, on a length. Kerr hangs back and punches it between mid on and mid-wicket. The ball teases the chasing fielders all the way and kisses the boundary ropes.
With Sophie coming in, veteran pacer Megan Schutt has been left out, as Australia have opted to go with out-and-out pace of Darcie Brown alongside Megan Schutt. Australia are seven-time world champions and reigning holders of the trophy. They are aiming to begin their title defence in what is also the venue’s first international women’s game.
“Just put some runs on the board and see what happens. There's a possibility it could get better later but it didn't happen last night. We played some really tough games of cricket in tough conditions. We're ready to go. The group is in a great place. We're looking at getting better at every single opportunity we get. Want to improve, want to take women's cricket forward,” she said.
On the other hand, New Zealand are playing an ODI after six months and captain Sophie Devine said she would have elected to bat first too. “But fresh wicket, start of the tournament, not very concerned. I think we've got a great balance within the side. Experience through the batting order in Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, really balanced group.”
“Just grateful for the opportunity to come out here again and represent my country. Fills me with pride. Obviously results are important, but what matters most to me is the people around me,” she said.
Playing XIs-
Australia: Alyssa Healy (captain & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, and Darcie Brown
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (captain), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, and Bree Illing
Match Statistics
Venue
Holkar Stadium, Indore
