New Zealand Levels Series and Boosts World Cup Hopes: Updated ICC Women's Championship Standings
New Zealand picked up two vital ICC Women’s Championship points with victory in the second ODI over India, easing concerns that the newly crowned T20 World Cup champions will have to go through qualifying to reach the 50-over World Cup. Here are the updated standings for the event.
The White Ferns’ 20-over triumph came in contrast to their poor bilateral form, which has left it far from certain that they will qualify for next year’s 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup. India have qualified as hosts, and the five top teams in the 2023-25 ICC Women’s Championship will join them, with the remainder sent to the Global Qualifier.
New Zealand are currently in sixth place, but series in India and against Australia represent two of their toughest assignments. Their biggest challenge is likely to come from West Indies, in eighth but with a series against Bangladesh an opportunity to improve their position.
New Zealand lost the first ODI convincingly to set their hopes back, but Sophie Devine led a dominant performance in the second. She top scored with 79, boosting her side to 259-9, aided by a half-century from Suzie Bates and scores in the 40s from Georgia Plimmer and Maddy Green. Devine then contributed three wickets as India slumped in reply. Lea Tahuhu also took three while Jess Kerr and Eden Carson chipped in with two each, the hosts slumping to 108-8.
Radha Yadav, who had earlier excelled in the field with four wickets and three catches, contributed 48 to hint at a lower-order fightback, but she was dismissed by Devine to bring proceedings to a close.
New Zealand are now six points ahead of West Indies, and also enjoy a much healthier net run rate. Therefore, the Caribbean side will either need to hammer Bangladesh in all three games, or beat India in a game in their upcoming series, to have hopes of overtaking them. New Zealand can further improve their position in their remaining four games.
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