New Zealand’s women’s cricket team will embark on a three-match ODI tour of India later this month, a series that was initially postponed due to scheduling conflicts. The matches, scheduled for October 24, 27, and 29 in Ahmedabad, will serve as a crucial step in both teams’ quest for direct qualification to the 2024 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The series holds particular significance for New Zealand, who currently sit sixth in the ICC Women’s Championship standings, just one spot below India. With West Indies and Bangladesh potentially threatening their position, the matches against India are vital for the White Ferns’ hopes of securing an automatic berth in the World Cup.
The hosts, India, will also be eager to perform well in the series, as they aim to solidify their position among the top five teams in the championship standings. The top five teams, along with the hosts, will earn direct entry to the World Cup, while the remaining teams will have to compete in a global qualifier.
Both teams will be coming off the Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, which concludes on October 23. If they reach the final, they will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the ODI series. This could potentially impact the availability of key players, including India’s Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma, and New Zealand’s Sophie Devine.
The series will mark New Zealand’s first ODI matches in India since 2015, when they overcame a 1-0 deficit to clinch the series. The White Ferns will be hoping for a similar result this time around, as they look to strengthen their position in the championship standings and secure their place in the World Cup.
