New Zealand women have the most recent T20 World Cup trophy in their cabinet. This should make them one of the contenders for the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. But are they? The Sophie Devine-led team isn’t actually anywhere close to the two best teams in the world, India and Australia.
Apart from Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine, on paper, the Kiwis don’t seem to have any match-winners. Since 2024, none of their batters have averaged over 40 in ODI cricket. In the same time period, only two of their bowlers have more than 10 wickets. But can they rise above a lack of game time and underwhelming performances when the time really comes?
Batters inconsistent & lack striking ability (Rating: 6/10)
Since 2024 in ODIs, Maddy Green has been the best Kiwi batter. But the issue is, she averages 37.60 and bats at numbers five and six. You don’t want your best batter to be in the middle order because it’s big runs from the top order that win you games. It’s the same with Brooke Halliday, who’s the second-highest run-scorer in this period. She also bats in the middle order.
Georgia Plimmer and Suzie Bates both average under 30. Sophie Devine continues to be the rock. She’ll have a lot of weight on her shoulders and will be expected to score big and at a good rate. Amelia Kerr hasn’t played an ODI in 2025 and averaged just 33 in 2024. Mind you, she was one of the best batters in the world until 2023, but her stocks have dipped a bit.
Izzy Gaze averages less than 15 in ODIs and T20Is. The wicketkeeper’s strike rate is an even bigger worry. Only these six batters have scored over 100 runs in ODIs for New Zealand in the last 21 months. Batting will be a major worry for the Kiwis, both in terms of scoring big and striking quickly.
Perhaps they’ll take something from that Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 run, but the signs suggest otherwise. Their best batters, Devine and Bates, are at the fag end of their careers. Can they carry them with much help from other batters? It doesn’t look like it.
Most runs for New Zealand Women in ODIs since 2024
| Batter | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maddy Green | 13 | 376 | 100 | 37.60 | 79.66 | 1 | 0 |
| Brooke Halliday | 12 | 360 | 86 | 30.00 | 70.58 | 0 | 3 |
| Sophie Devine | 9 | 314 | 100* | 39.25 | 90.48 | 1 | 1 |
| Georgia Plimmer | 11 | 312 | 112 | 28.36 | 74.64 | 1 | 0 |
| Suzie Bates | 13 | 307 | 58 | 23.61 | 70.73 | 0 | 4 |
| Amelia Kerr | 9 | 264 | 57 | 33.00 | 62.70 | 0 | 1 |
| Izzy Gaze | 11 | 170 | 47 | 17.00 | 67.46 | 0 | 0 |
Short on spinners & lack of game time for bowlers (Rating: 5/10)
The Kerr sisters, Amelia and Jess, have been the best bowlers for New Zealand in the last 21 months. Jess has been the highest wicket-taker during his period. She opens the bowling as a right-arm pacer, while Amelia provides a much-needed leg-spin option. Given that the ODI World Cup will be hosted in India, Amelia’s success means Kiwi success.
Hannah Rowe was a regular and doing well, but she hadn’t been included in the squad. Off-spinner Eden Carson hasn’t been a great wicket-taker, but in her defence, she hasn’t played in Asia much. The bigger issue for Kiwis would be that Bree Illing, Rosemary Mair, and Lea Tahuhu haven’t played much.
They also lack spin options. Amelia and Carson are the only frontline spinners they have. Flora Devonshire and Maddy Green are the two part-timers, but the former hasn’t made her ODI debut yet, and the latter has delivered just 19.4 overs in her 11-year career.
This will be the biggest issue, as spinners control the game in the middle overs in India and Sri Lanka. If, during 10-40 overs, New Zealand can neither take wickets nor stop the run flow, they will likely struggle. There’s only so much Amelia and Carson can do.
Most wickets for New Zealand Women in ODIs since 2024
| Bowler | Innings | Overs | Wickets | Best Figures | Average | Economy | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jess Kerr | 10 | 85.1 | 16 | 3/22 | 22.56 | 4.23 | 31.9 |
| Amelia Kerr | 9 | 75.0 | 14 | 4/42 | 27.42 | 5.12 | 32.1 |
| Eden Carson | 10 | 81.4 | 10 | 2/29 | 38.40 | 4.70 | 49.0 |
| Suzie Bates | 8 | 32.0 | 6 | 2/24 | 22.50 | 4.21 | 32.0 |
| Sophie Devine | 8 | 50.1 | 6 | 3/27 | 44.50 | 5.32 | 50.1 |
| Lea Tahuhu | 4 | 34.0 | 6 | 3/42 | 29.66 | 5.23 | 34.0 |
| Rosemary Mair | 2 | 20.0 | 4 | 3/58 | 28.50 | 5.70 | 30.0 |
| Brooke Halliday | 7 | 22.2 | 4 | 1/11 | 33.75 | 6.04 | 33.5 |
| Bree Illing | 3 | 28.0 | 4 | 2/42 | 29.25 | 4.17 | 42.0 |
| Maddy Green | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1/5 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 6.0 |
New Zealand squad for Women’s ODI World Cup 2025
Batters: Izzy Gaze (wk), Maddy Green, Polly Inglis (wk), Bella James, Georgia Plimmer
All-rounders: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Flora Devonshire, Brooke Halliday, Amelie Kerr
Bowlers: Eden Carson, Bree Illing, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu
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