New Zealand will be looking to move on from a disappointing World Cup last year, in which they failed to make it out of the group stage
New Zealand will be looking to move on from a disappointing World Cup last year, in which they failed to make it out of the group stage.
The White Ferns go into the competition led by new captain Amy Satterthwaite who will want to get her new role off to a good start.
The New Zealand team combines youth and experience well, with the likes of 18-year-old Amelia Kerr improving game by game.
New Zealand head into the T20 World Cup off the back of a 3-0 T20 series defeat to Australia. Australia outplayed them in most areas and deserved the series win.
However, an encouraging sign for New Zealand was the partnerships that were created across the series, particularly by Suzie Bates and Satterthwaite. In the second T20, the pair put on 60 in just six overs, which included six fours and three sixes, to give Australia some concerns.
New Zealand were also part of a T20 Tri Series against England and South Africa this summer. Although they lost in the final to England, some aggressive cricket was shown by the top-order which indicates they are more than capable of making big scores in cricket's shortest format.
In the Tri Series, New Zealand beat South Africa comfortably on both occasions and in the first match they posted 216 for one in their 20 overs. This was largely due to an outstanding undefeated knock by Bates of 124 off 66 balls, including 16 fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 187.87.
Bates was supported by Sophie Devine who hit 73 off 48 balls at a strike rate of 152.08. However, New Zealand lost to England in all three of the sides' meetings in that series. In the group matches, they posted just 118 and 129 before being comfortably beaten in the final. Nevertheless, New Zealand are ranked No.2 in the ICC Women’s T20I standings.
Suzie Bates is a destructive presence at the top of the order
Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine
Former captain Suzie Bates is No.1 in the T20I batting rankings which shows her dominance in T20 cricket.
Devine has established herself as one of the world’s best allrounders. As a seam bowler she is a consistent wicket-taker and she is also an aggressive opening batsmen. In her 76 T20Is she has hit 1,710 runs at an average of 27.14, with a strike rate of 123.91 and a high score of 73. She has also been outstanding with the ball, taking 72 wickets at an average of 16.70 and an economy rate of just over six.
The experience of both Bates and Devine will be vital to the success of the White Ferns at the T20 World Cup.
WORLD T20 HUB
A major strength of the White Ferns is their hard-hitting top order. The New Zealand side consists of some of the world’s best T20 players including Bates, Devine, Satterthwaite and Katey Martin.
Another young player who has recently cemented her place in the side is allrounder Jess Watkin. In her six T20Is, Watkin has scored 118 runs at a strike rate of 161.64. It is the high strike rates of the New Zealand top-order that has contributed to them becoming one of the most destructive batting sides in women’s cricket.
A notable weakness of New Zealand is their reliance on a few players to score big runs every game.
There have been a number of occasions in which a batting collapse has led to a low total. Often too the top-order create great momentum at the start of the innings but the middle-order fails to carry that forwards towards a competitive score.
Katey Martin
Although New Zealand are ranked No.2 in the world, they don’t currently have the depth and consistency in their batting and bowling line-ups to compete with the likes of Australia, England and India.
Prediction: Group stages
Suzie Bates has also already gone past Charlotte Edwards’ record for the most career runs in women’s T20I history.
Fixture list (all UK time): India (Nov 9, 3pm), Australia (Nov 14, midnight), Pakistan (Nov 15, 8pm), Ireland (Nov 17, 8pm)
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