New Zealand Women vs England Women, 1st T20I Match Preview

England and New Zealand Women. (Photo Source: ICC)

New Zealand Women and England Women will take on each other in the first game of the five-match T20I series on Tuesday, March 19 at University Oval, Dunedin. New Zealand are coming into the series after a 1-2 drubbing against Pakistan in December 2023. They’re currently ranked fourth in the ICC Women’s T20I team rankings with 256 ratings to their name.

On the other hand, England are coming into the series having beaten India by 1-2 in their last T20I series in December 2023. The Heather Knight-led side are ranked on the second spot in the women’s T20I rankings with 282 ratings to their name. England have also had an upper hand over the White Ferns in the shortest format having won 23 out of the 30 matches played between two teams.

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England will be eager to continue their dominance over the hosts even in their home conditions. On the other hand, New Zealand have emerged victorious in just two bilateral series so far against England and will be eager to dominate them in their home conditions in the coming games.

Notably, in the last outing between the two teams New Zealand managed to beat England by eight wickets during the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The series will be extremely crucial for both sides to prepare for the T20 World Cup 2024 later this year in Bangladesh

University Oval Pitch Report

There have been a total of three Women’s T20Is played at the venue so far out of which teams batting first have won twice. The average first innings score at the venue has been 137 while the highest target chased is 128. Captain winning the toss is likely to bat first keeping the recent record of the venue in mind.

Probable Playing XI

England Women (ENG-W)

England don’t have the services of their several star players for the first three T20Is namely Alice Capsey, Sophie Ecclestone, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danielle Wyatt. All four were a part of the recently concluded Women’s Premier League in India and will join the squad in the remaining two games.

Predicted XI: Sophia Dunkley, Maia Bouchier, Hollie Armitage, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight (c), Danielle Gibson, Bess Heath, Lauren Filer, Linsey Smith, Charlotte Dean, Lauren Bell

New Zealand Women (NZ-W)

Meanwhile, New Zealand will also miss Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr in the upcoming series who were part of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians respectively in the WPL. Suzie Bates has been entrusted with the leadership duties in their absence.

Predicted XI: Bernadine Bezuidenhout (wk), Suzie Bates (c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Isabella Gaze, Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas

Head-to-Head Record