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- Australia vs New Zealand highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs in Indore
Australia vs New Zealand highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs in Indore
Molineux’s inclusion means veteran pacer Megan Schutt misses out, with Australia opting for the raw pace of Darcie Brown alongside Kim Garth. The seven-time world champions and defending title holders will be looking to start their campaign on a strong note in what is also the venue’s first-ever women’s international match.
“Just put some runs on the board and see what happens. There's a possibility it could get better later but it didn't happen last night. We played some really tough games of cricket in tough conditions. We're ready to go. The group is in a great place. We're looking at getting better at every single opportunity we get. Want to improve, want to take women's cricket forward,” Healy said at the toss.
New Zealand, meanwhile, are playing their first ODI in six months. Captain Sophie Devine admitted she would have preferred to bat first as well but remained optimistic about her team’s chances.
“But fresh wicket, start of the tournament, not very concerned. I think we've got a great balance within the side. Experience through the batting order in Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, really balanced group,” she said.
“Just grateful for the opportunity to come out here again and represent my country. Fills me with pride. Obviously results are important, but what matters most to me is the people around me,” Devine added.
Playing XIs
Australia: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Darcie Brown
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (capt), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Bree Illing
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, WIDE! Reload! Down leg, on a length. Perry misses to flick. Gaze collects it to her left. Wide called.
Sophie Devine to Beth Mooney, Full and wide on off, Mooney slices it to the right of point. Eden Carson dives full-stretch and makes a half-stop. A single taken.
Sophie Devine to Beth Mooney, Length, around off, dabbed to the short cover region with soft hands.
Sophie Devine to Beth Mooney, A bit too full, on middle, Mooney gets forward and pushes it to mid on. Beth is keen to pinch in a single, but Perry stays stationary at the non-striker's end, as mid on cuts it off to her right.
- Ellyse Perry 25 (27)
- Beth Mooney 1 (3)
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, An appeal for caught behind from Izzy Gaze, but not entertained. Just might have flicked the pad on the way through. A deceptive googly, on a length, drifting down leg. Ellyse Perry hangs back and tries to nudge it across, but misses. Gaze is quick to move to her left and gather the ball. Another brilliant over from Amelia Kerr. Just 4 runs off it. Her figures read 2-0-6-1 so far.
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, Too full and outside off, Perry carves it down to mid off.
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, Nice and full, tossed around off, Perry shimmies down the track and forces it to mid off.
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, Googly to follow the leggie, on middle and leg. Ellyse Perry lunges forward to block, but gets beaten on the inside edge and wears on the back pad. A slight appeal for LBW, but not given.
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, FOUR! Smartly played! With mid off in the ring, Perry jumps down the track and lofts this full ball with the spin, over the mid off fielder for a boundary.
The last two overs have been quiet from New Zealand's perspective. Just 5 runs and a wicket in the last 12 balls.
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, Slower through the air, a leg break, on middle on a length. Perry hangs deep and dabs it across to the right of the bowler.
- Ellyse Perry 21 (21)
- Beth Mooney 1 (3)
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, Pitched full and on the stumps. Ellyse Perry clips it along the carpet to widish long on for a single.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, At a gentle pace, full and on the fourth stump line. Ellyse Perry steers it towards backward point.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, Full and on middle again, Perry flicks it between mid on and mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, Full and on middle, Perry flicks it to mid on.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, Around off, on a length, punched back to the bowler.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, With the keeper up to the stumps, Devine bowls it on a length, outside off. Perry is beaten on the cut shot.
Alyssa Healy(w/c), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Darcie Brown
Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine(c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze(w), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Bree Illing
- Beth Mooney 1 (3)
- Ellyse Perry 18 (15)
Amelia Kerr to Beth Mooney, Another googly, floated full and on off. Beth Mooney lunges forward to defend, but the ball spins away and takes the outside edge before rolling to short third. What an over from Kerr, against the run of play! A huge wicket of Litchfield, and just a couple of runs from it.
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, Full and around off, Ellyse Perry skips down the track to carve through the cover region, but inside edges it toward backward square leg for a single.
Would've had a bat as well. But fresh wicket, start of the tournament, not very concerned. I think we've got a great balance within the side. Experience through the batting order. Suzie Bates, around 73 years old, Georgia Plimmer, really balanced group. Just grateful for the opportunity to come out here again and represent my country. Fills me with pride. Obviously results are important, but what matters most to me is the people around me.
Amelia Kerr to Ellyse Perry, A huge appeal for LBW, but not given! A googly, landing outside off and spinning sharply back in. Ellyse Perry leans forward to defend, but wears on the front pad.
We'll have a bat. Just put some runs on the board and see what happens. There's a possibility it could get better later but it didn't happen last night. Looking at the make-up of our side, we've gone with out and out pace. No Megan Schutt. We played some really tough games of cricket in tough conditions. We're ready to go. The group is in a great place. We're looking at getting better at every single opportunity we get. Want to improve, want to take women's cricket forward.
Australia Women have won the toss and have opted to bat
Amelia Kerr to Beth Mooney, Length, around off, punched through extra cover for a single.
Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux returns to Australia’s playing eleven for the first time after knee surgery and recovery, as skipper Alyssa Healy won the toss and elected to bat first against New Zealand in their 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup opener at the Holkar Stadium on Wednesday.
With Sophie coming in, veteran pacer Megan Schutt has been left out, as Australia have opted to go with out-and-out pace of Darcie Brown alongside Megan Schutt. Australia are seven-time world champions and reigning holders of the trophy. They are aiming to begin their title defence in what is also the venue’s first international women’s game.
Amelia Kerr to Beth Mooney, Nice and full, pushed to mid off.
Beth Mooney is in at number 4.
Amelia Kerr to Phoebe Litchfield, OUT! BOLWED! OUTFOXED! Amelia Kerr makes a strong impact in her very first delivery! She dishes out a googly from over the stumps and lands it on a fuller length, on middle. Phoebe Litchfield gets half forward and gets squared up, as she does not account for the wrong'un off the wrist of the bowler. Gets beaten on the outside edge and the ball smashes into the stumps behind. Cannot get more perfect than that for Kerr as she becomes the third New Zealand Women's player to complete 100 ODI wickets! Phoebe Litchfield departs for a breezy 45 off just 31 balls. Australia Women are 81/2.
Powerplay 2! The fielding side will now be allowed 4 fielders outside the circle till the 50th over.
- Phoebe Litchfield 45 (30)
- Ellyse Perry 17 (13)
Sophie Devine to Phoebe Litchfield, On a length around off, Phoebe Litchfield drives this to long off and takes one.
Sophie Devine to Phoebe Litchfield, SIX! A flat six from Phoebe Litchfield, her second already. On a length around off, Phoebe Litchfield presses in front and just chips this in the air, and the timing was so pure that the ball has landed flush on the boundary cushion at the long off fence for six.
Sophie Devine to Phoebe Litchfield, On a length, going across the batter. Phoebe Litchfield pushes this to cover for no run.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, Good length on off, Ellyse Perry pushes this through cover for one.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, FOUR! Boundaries are coming thick and fast for the Aussies! On a length, around middle and off, Ellyse Perry leans over it and flicks this through the gap between mid on and mid-wicket for a boundary.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, Good length around off, Ellyse Perry leaves it all alone.
- Phoebe Litchfield 38 (27)
- Ellyse Perry 12 (10)
Bree Illing to Phoebe Litchfield, Good length around off, Phoebe Litchfield punches this straight to the fielder.
Bree Illing to Phoebe Litchfield, FOUR! Phoebe's been too hot to handle for the White Ferns so far. On a length, drifting down the leg stump, Phoebe Litchfield picks it up with a flick and deposits it rolling towards the mid-wicket fence for four runs.
Bree Illing to Phoebe Litchfield, Bree Illing is mixing it up well. A fuller one, followed by a back-of-a-length delivery, around the pads. Phoebe Litchfield keeps it out towards mid-wicket.
Bree Illing to Phoebe Litchfield, Bree goes full on off, taking it away from the left-hander. Phoebe Litchfield thumps this to point for no run.
Bree Illing to Ellyse Perry, On a length around middle and leg, Ellyse Perry flicks this to fine leg for one.
Bree Illing to Phoebe Litchfield, On a length around the pads, Phoebe Litchfield tucks this through mid-wicket for one.
- Ellyse Perry 11 (9)
- Phoebe Litchfield 33 (22)
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, FOUR! Plays this late and gets rewarded for it. Back of a length around off, Ellyse Perry leans back, lets the ball come close to her, and cuts this past the left of the fielder at backward point for four runs. 6 off Devine's over, and 16 from the last two overs for Australia Women.
Sophie Devine to Phoebe Litchfield, WOW! What timing from Phoebe Litchfield. Too gorgeous a stroke for a single. On a length around middle and off, Phoebe Litchfield gets right on top of it and punches this from the middle of her bat towards the left of mid off for one.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, Back of a length, on off. Ellyse Perry rocks back and punches this to sweeper cover for one.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, On a length around middle and leg, Ellyse Perry drives this from the middle of her bat towards the fielder at mid on for no run.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, On a length around middle and off, Ellyse Perry defends this off her front foot.
Sophie Devine brings herself into the attack. She replaces Jess Kerr.
Sophie Devine to Ellyse Perry, On a length, around middle and off. Ellyse Perry blocks this out on off.
With Sophie coming in, veteran pacer Megan Schutt has been left out, as Australia have opted to go with out-and-out pace of Darcie Brown alongside Megan Schutt. Australia are seven-time world champions and reigning holders of the trophy. They are aiming to begin their title defence in what is also the venue’s first international women’s game.
“Just put some runs on the board and see what happens. There's a possibility it could get better later but it didn't happen last night. We played some really tough games of cricket in tough conditions. We're ready to go. The group is in a great place. We're looking at getting better at every single opportunity we get. Want to improve, want to take women's cricket forward,” she said.
On the other hand, New Zealand are playing an ODI after six months and captain Sophie Devine said she would have elected to bat first too. “But fresh wicket, start of the tournament, not very concerned. I think we've got a great balance within the side. Experience through the batting order in Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, really balanced group.”
“Just grateful for the opportunity to come out here again and represent my country. Fills me with pride. Obviously results are important, but what matters most to me is the people around me,” she said.
Playing XIs-
Australia: Alyssa Healy (captain & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, and Darcie Brown
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (captain), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, and Bree Illing
Match Statistics
Venue
Holkar Stadium, Indore
