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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
Sophie Molineux to Amelia Kerr, On the stumps, full in length, Kerr gets forward and drives it to mid off.
Sophie Molineux to Amelia Kerr, Flatter and quicker, skidding off the deck, outside off. Amelia Kerr pivots on the back foot and chop-cuts it to point.
Sophie Molineux to Amelia Kerr, Full and on off, Amelia Kerr uses her feet and gets to the pitch of the ball. Drills it off the inner half of the bat to mid on.
New Zealand Women are 16/2 after 7 overs. Australia Women were 57/1 at the same stage. Sophie Molineux to continue. She is 3-1-8-1 so far.
- Sophie Devine 11 (18)
- Amelia Kerr 4 (15)
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, Full and on off, Sophie Devine forces it down to long off.
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, A sharp nib-backer on a fuller length, cutting into the leg stump line. Sophie Devine is rushed on the back foot and just manages to block it off.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Length, on off, Amelia Kerr advances forward and dabs it to cover-point for a quick single.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Shapes away from the fourth stump, on a good length. Amelia Kerr gets on the front foot, sees it closely and then decides to leave.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, On a fractionally fuller length, on off. Amelia Kerr shimmies down a bit and gets a thick outside edge to the left of point. A diving stop by the fielder there to prevent any run.
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, Back of a length, outside off. Sophie Devine hangs back and punches it to deep extra cover for a single.
- Amelia Kerr 3 (12)
- Sophie Devine 10 (15)
Sophie Molineux to Amelia Kerr, Pushed through, wicket-to-wicket at 79.4 kph, Amelia Kerr lunges ahead with a huge stride and smothers it to the leg side.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Drifting onto the pads, on a length. Devine nudges it to the backward square leg region for a single.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Drags the length, wide outside off. Sophie Devine rocks back and mistimes the back foot punch, straight to cover.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Quicker one, at 82.5 kph, on middle, sliding in. Sophie Devine alertly blocks off the back foot.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, A bit flat and fast, on off, Sophie Devine pushes it back to the bowler.
Sophie Molineux to Amelia Kerr, Kerr gets on the front foot and flicks this in-dipping full delivery to deep mid-wicket for a run.
- Amelia Kerr 2 (10)
- Sophie Devine 9 (11)
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Full in length at 115.4 kph, outside off. Amelia Kerr drives it crisply to deep extra cover for an easy single.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, WIDE! Reload! Sprayed down leg, on a fullish length. Amelia Kerr attempts to flick it but misses. Called a Wide.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Angled onto the pads, on a length. Kerr gets across and nudges it to short mid-wicket.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Full again, around off, moving away late. Kerr shimmies down the track and eases it out to extra cover.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Full at 108.9 kph, on middle, slanting in. Amelia Kerr prods forward and watchfully blocks it out.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Short in length, just outside off. Kerr lets it arrive and drops it in the off side with soft hands.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, PEACH! On middle and on a good length, nibbling away. Amelia Kerr is squared up, and tries to work across the line. Gets a faint outside edge and the ball lands short of the first slip fielder.
- Sophie Devine 9 (11)
- Amelia Kerr 1 (4)
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Short of a length, on middle. Sophie Devine punches it off the back foot to wide mid on.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, FOUR! Through the gap! The first boundary of the chase! Offers some width, on a length, Sophie Devine cashes on it and goes on the back foot. The ball stays a tad low but she cuts it away and pierces the backward point and cover gap for a cracking boundary!
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Flighted full at 79.3 kph, on middle. Devine drills it down to mid on.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Nice and full, tossed up outside off. Sophie Devine drives it firmly to short cover.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Full and again, this one drifts in on middle and leg. Sophie Devine tries to push it straight, but the ball goes off the inside edge to widish deep fine leg for a couple of runs.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Arm ball, sliding into the batter, Sophie Devine hits off the thick inside edge to mid-wicket.
- Sophie Devine 3 (5)
- Amelia Kerr 1 (4)
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, Back of a length, around off. Sophie Devine punches it firmly to cover-point for a single.
Kim Garth to Sophie Devine, Outswing on a fuller length, outside off. Sophie Devine gets on the front foot and drives toward the off side. The ball is sliced between cover and point for a couple of runs.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Finally, New Zealand Women are off the mark! Hard length, moving away from off. Amelia Kerr lets the ball arrive and taps it in front of backward point for a quick single.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, On a back of a length, outside off, Kerr lets it be.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Full again, Kerr pushes it with soft hands to mid off.
Kim Garth to Amelia Kerr, Full and curving away from middle. Amelia Kerr presents full face of the bat and drills it straight to mid on.
- Sophie Devine 0 (3)
- Amelia Kerr 0 (0)
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Fuller on middle and leg, Devine drills this to mid on for another dot. Two overs are done and New Zealand Women are yet to open their account.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Fuller on off, Sophie drives this to mid off for no run.
Sophie Molineux to Sophie Devine, Darted on middle and off, Sophie Devine prods in front and gets an inside edge back onto the pads. A loud appeal for LBW but the umpire shakes it off.
Skipper Sophie Devine has walked out next.
Sophie Molineux to Suzie Bates, OUT! TIMBER! Sophie Molineux gets her first-ever wicket in Women's World Cup and she is over the moon. The White Ferns are right on the back foot at the start of the chase. Arm-delivery around off, Suzie Bates strides out in front and goes for the drive, playing for the spin, but this one comes in with the arm and goes off the inside edge and crashes into the stumps behind. New Zealand Women are now 2 down without anything on board. Suzie Bates, too, departs for a duck!
Sophie Molineux to Suzie Bates, Quicker and flatter on off, Suzie Bates pushes this to cover for no run.
Sophie Molineux to Suzie Bates, Floated around the pads, Suzie Bates goes for the flick but misses. A huge appeal for LBW by the fielding side but the ball appears to be going down the leg, hence the umpire turns it down. Alyssa Healy opts for a review. The Ball Tracking shows that the ball would have missed the stumps and gone down the leg. Australia Women lose a review.
Amelia Kerr walks in at number 3. And it will be Sophie Molineux to bowl from the far end.
Is Plimmer run out? A bit of hesitation from her to run and Annabel Sutherland releases a flat throw to the keeper. Alyssa Healy collects it cleanly and whips the bails off in a flash. The side-on replay shows that Georgia is short of her crease. OUT!
- Suzie Bates 0 (6)
- Georgia Plimmer 0 (0)
Kim Garth to Suzie Bates, OUT! GEORGIA PLIMMER IS RUN OUT! A huge mix-up and she has to pay the price! Back of a length, angling into the batter. Suzie Bates punches it off the back foot to the left of mid on and calls her partner through for a run. Georgia Plimmer shows hesitation at first, but then sets off. Annabel Sutherland is quick to react, moving to her left, picking the ball up in a motion, and firing a sharp throw straight to the keeper. The Aussie skipper whips off the bails in a flash. The side-on replay confirms that Plimmer is well short despite her desperate slide. This is a nightmare start for New Zealand Women, as Georgia Plimmer departs without facing a ball! New Zealand Women are 0/1 after 1 over.
Kim Garth to Suzie Bates, Spotting Bates advancing, Garth bowls it on a length, and pushes outside off, Suzie Bates adjusts to it and steers it to backward point.
Kim Garth to Suzie Bates, Four dots on the trot from Garth! Back of a length, slanting into the batter, Bates tucks it across to mid-wicket.
Kim Garth to Suzie Bates, Fuller and around off, at 114.5 kph, moving away a bit. Suzie Bates gets on the front foot and drives it to mid off.
Kim Garth to Suzie Bates, Touch full and shaping away, on off. Suzie Bates is rushed on the back foot and tries to block, but the ball goes off the inner half of the bat to short mid-wicket.
Kim Garth to Suzie Bates, Garth begins from over the stumps and is on the money immediately! Full and on middle. Suzie Bates leans forward and pushes it gently back to the bowler.
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
