Devine and Halliday Steer New Zealand to First World Cup Victory
New Zealand has officially kick-started its World Cup campaign, securing a commanding 100-run victory over Bangladesh in Guwahati on Friday. The win was masterminded by a resilient and decisive partnership between captain Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday, whose half-centuries rescued their team from a perilous early collapse. After posting a competitive total of 227, New Zealand’s bowlers, led by the pace duo of Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu, dismantled the Bangladesh batting lineup to bundle them out for 127 and record their first points of the tournament.
The victory provides a much-needed boost for the New Zealand side, which had suffered defeats in its opening two matches against Australia and South Africa. For Bangladesh, the result was another case of missed opportunity. Having put the opposition under immense pressure early in the contest, they were unable to maintain their dominance and ultimately succumbed to the experience and depth of a top-tier cricketing nation. The match highlighted the challenge that less-experienced teams face in sustaining pressure over the full course of an innings.
Match-Winning Partnership
The defining phase of the game came after Bangladesh had woven a web around New Zealand's top order. Legspinner Rabeya Khan was in exceptional form, getting the ball to turn sharply on the Guwahati pitch and reducing New Zealand to a precarious 38 for 3. With the momentum firmly in their favor, Bangladesh had a golden opportunity to seize complete control. However, it was at this critical juncture that Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday came together to produce a match-altering partnership.
Sophie Devine, continuing her fine form from the previous games, played an uncharacteristically gritty and patient innings. She abandoned her trademark flair, choosing instead to dig in and fight the challenging conditions to anchor the innings. Her determined 63 was the pillar around which the recovery was built. At the other end, Brooke Halliday provided the perfect foil with an inventive and calculated knock of 69. She effectively countered the spin threat by employing the sweep shot, carefully picking her moments to attack. Their crucial 112-run stand, built over 166 deliveries, wrested the momentum back in New Zealand's favor.
Bowlers Seal a Dominant Performance
After some late cameos from the lower order helped lift New Zealand to a respectable total, their bowlers took over and ensured the target was never threatened. Any hope Bangladesh had of mounting a successful chase was extinguished within the opening powerplay. The swing and seam of Jess Kerr and Rosemary Mair proved too much for the top order, who appeared diffident and were quickly reduced to 22 for 3.
Following the impressive opening spell, veteran pacer Lea Tahuhu demonstrated her class. Using subtle variations in length and seam movement, she ripped through the middle order, claiming two quick wickets to leave Bangladesh reeling at 33 for 6. From that point, the result was a mere formality. A late partnership between Fahima Khatun (34) and Rabeya Khan provided some resistance and delayed the inevitable, but it was not nearly enough. Both Kerr and Tahuhu finished with three wickets apiece as Bangladesh was dismissed in 39.5 overs. While New Zealand will celebrate the much-needed win, they will remain concerned about their top-order batting, which they will need to rectify as they head into the tougher matches of the tournament.
Tags: ICC Women's World Cup
