Guwahati, Oct 10 (NationPress) The captain of New Zealand, Sophie Devine, expressed her delight at her team’s inaugural victory in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, labeling it as “really pleasing”. This triumph came after the White Ferns showcased a dominant all-round performance, defeating the Bangladesh Women by a significant 100 runs at the Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati on Friday.

“It’s really pleasing for this side to get on the board,” Devine remarked post-match. “The batting was challenging for both Brooke and me, but we accepted that it wouldn’t be easy. The bowlers handled their part exceptionally well.”

After suffering two narrow defeats, New Zealand finally regained their rhythm, highlighted by a resilient fourth-wicket partnership between Devine (63 off 85) and Brooke Halliday (69 off 104). Their partnership was complemented by a disciplined bowling effort that restricted Bangladesh to 127 runs in 39.5 overs.

Choosing to bat first on a slow pitch, New Zealand faced early adversity at 35/3, with Suzie Bates (29) run out after a mix-up and Georgia Plimmer (4) and Amelia Kerr (1) dismissed cheaply. However, Devine and Halliday steadied the ship, contributing 112 runs for the fourth wicket to rescue the innings.

Halliday’s fluent half-century and Devine’s composed innings, marking her second consecutive fifty in the tournament, laid the foundation for New Zealand’s total of 227/9. Contributions from Maddy Green (25) and Lea Tahuhu (12) pushed the score past 220.

Devine later shared that her innings presented its own challenges. “I was slightly low on sugar levels. I just tried to consume some sugar and jellies, which was just another hurdle given the tough conditions. It’s part of managing diabetes while competing at this level,” she explained.

Bangladesh’s bowlers, particularly Rabeya Khan (3/30), started strongly but lost their grip towards the end. Nahida Akter (1/36) and Fahima Khatun (1/37) provided support, while pacer Marufa Akter (1-58) struggled with consistency.

In their response, Bangladesh struggled to find their footing. Rosemary Mair struck twice in her opening spell upon her return to the tournament, and Jess Kerr continued the assault, leaving them reeling at 26/3 during the powerplay. Only Fahima Khatun (34), Rabeya Khan (25), and Nahida Akter (17) managed to score in double digits as the innings collapsed at 127.

“Mair demonstrated what we missed with her early bowling — attacking the stumps effectively. Lea also bowled excellently, and judging by her shirt, she appeared to have lost about six kg due to sweat! It was a commendable performance in her 100th ODI,” Devine remarked with a smile. “In this competition, any team can triumph over another. Bangladesh almost upset England the other day. With the weather conditions and run rate, each point is invaluable. We will approach each game methodically.”

Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana acknowledged the ongoing inconsistency in her team’s batting. “We are struggling with consistency as a batting unit. We bowled well initially but conceded many boundaries later on,” she admitted. “We need to bowl in the right areas and avoid giving away freebies, but the New Zealand team is experienced and executed their game plan effectively.”

Reflecting on her team’s limited exposure to stronger opponents, she added, “We only get the opportunity to compete against top teams during ICC tournaments. We lack experience at this level. I hope the bowlers maintain their current form; the batters need to rise to the occasion.”