ODI Women’s World Cup | Can the struggling Kiwis overcome a gritty Bangladesh?

A winless New Zealand volition look to unfastened its relationship successful the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 erstwhile it plays a roaring Bangladesh connected Friday astatine the Barsapara Stadium successful Guwahati.

A fewer drops of rainfall fell astir the venue connected the eve of the match, with the forecast predicting showers successful the lead-up to the toss. But arsenic it stands, a lucifer should instrumentality spot successful beforehand of the usually sparsely-crowded stands.

The 2 sides person met 4 times – each successful 2022 – wherever the White Ferns won twice, the different games being washed out. Their clashes see a World Cup lucifer wherever Suzie Bates’ unbeaten half-century had helped the White Ferns seashore to a nine-wicket win.

But Bates’ signifier could beryllium concerning coming into this match. The seasoned is yet to people a tally successful the tourney arsenic New Zealand’s batting has mostly depended connected Sophie Devine’s idiosyncratic brilliance. The skipper’s period against Australia and 85 against South Africa were successful losing causes.

Spinners’ paradise

However, with spin-friendly conditions connected offer, bowlers similar Amelia Kerr and Eden Carson volition beryllium raring to spell and enactment unit connected an already debilitated Bangladesh batting line-up, which excessively has truthful acold depended connected individuals stepping up.

For the Tigresses, Sobhana Mostary and low-order batter Rabeya Khan helped enactment up a warring full against England a fewer days agone astatine the aforesaid crushed aft Rubya Haider’s maiden ODI 50 had carried them to triumph against Pakistan successful Colombo.

Early breakthroughs

While Bangladesh’s batting leaves overmuch to beryllium desired, it volition beryllium pinning its hopes of getting aboriginal breakthroughs done pacer Marufa Akter, and spinners.

Marufa couldn’t implicit her quota of 10 overs past crippled owed to cramps, but if vice-captain Nahida Akter is to beryllium believed, the youngster is acceptable for the clash against the Ferns. She was seen bowling successful the nets up of the match.