New Zealand’s triumph in the Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last month was a testament to the team’s resilience and determination. Despite being considered underdogs, the White Ferns defied expectations and emerged victorious.
Craig McMillan, the team’s assistant coach, had unwavering faith in his players. “We have worked hard over a period of time, and we know the improvements they’ve made over the last 12 months,” he said. “Sometimes the stars align, but you still have to be good to make the most of those stars aligning.”
Amelia Kerr was the shining star for New Zealand. The leg-spinning all-rounder, who holds the record for the youngest cricketer to score a double hundred in ODIs, was named player of the final and the tournament. She was the competition’s leading wicket-taker and scored a crucial 43 off 38 balls in the final.
“She bowled beautifully,” said McMillan. “In the final, she stepped up when we needed her.”
Kerr’s all-round performance was complemented by contributions from the entire team. “It has always been a strength of New Zealand sides, whether men’s or women’s — everyone chips in,” said McMillan. “Rosemary Mair did a great job with the ball, Lea Tahuhu, who has been around a long time, picked up key wickets.”
New Zealand’s fielding was also exceptional throughout the tournament. “That is so important in the T20 game,” said McMillan. “We had only one bad game against the West Indies, but apart from that, against India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and then in the final against South Africa, we took our catches, and that was crucial.”
The win against India in New Zealand’s opening match was particularly significant. “It was a very strong group, as Australia was also there,” said McMillan. “And we knew that we probably had to win one of those first two games to actually be able to go through to the next stage. So we really targeted those games. Against India it was almost probably our best performance. It got us off to a great start. And momentum is really important in the World Cup.”
McMillan believes the team’s success was also due to the presence of several all-rounders. “Some of them, like skipper Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates are, in fact, double internationals, in hockey and basketball respectively,” he said.
McMillan emphasizes the importance of playing multiple sports, especially for young athletes. “I think it’s really important that not only females, but males too, play as many sports as they can,” he said. “I myself played a lot of football up until 18 and then I had to make a decision. I was a tough centre-back. I used to cut strikers down. But I just think you get multi-skilled players when they play other sports. That helps them when they come and have to make a decision at some stage.”
McMillan is optimistic about the future of women’s cricket. “It will get stronger and stronger,” he said. “I think even in the last two or three years, you have seen the development, with the WPL and all that. Those franchises play a big part in terms of the development of the players. But we are just seeing some really talented females who are given the opportunity to show how good they are around the world. It is important that it not only grows in Australia, England and India, but in all the countries.”
