NZ vs IRE, Women's T20 WC 2025: Date, time, where to watch
Synopsis
Two winless sides, one must-win game. Defending champions New Zealand have been rattled by dropped catches and conservative batting, while Ireland showed grit against England despite posting just 118. At The Rose Bowl on 20 June, both teams know another defeat ends their semi-final dream.
Key Takeaways
New Zealand and Ireland meet at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on 20 June 2025 at 11:00 PM IST — both sides winless in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
The White Ferns have lost to West Indies (by 1 run) and Sri Lanka (by 5 wickets), with persistent fielding lapses costing them dearly.
Ireland have fallen to Scotland and England , but pushed the hosts hard, taking 6 wickets while defending just 118 .
Melie Kerr and Sophie Devine each scored 45 against Sri Lanka; Gaby Lewis captains Ireland.
The match will be broadcast on Star Sports with live streaming on JioHotstar .
New Zealand and Ireland square off in a high-stakes ICC Women's T20 World Cup group-stage fixture at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on Friday, 20 June 2025, with both sides yet to register a single point in the tournament. For either team, a third consecutive defeat would effectively end their semi-final prospects.
New Zealand's Alarming Slump
The White Ferns — defending champions and pre-tournament favourites — have been stunned in back-to-back matches. Their campaign opened with a gut-wrenching one-run loss to the West Indies, followed by a five-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka, who chased down a 151-run target with three balls to spare.
Fielding has been a recurring nightmare for New Zealand. Against Sri Lanka, they put down three catches, including a crucial drop by Bree Illing off eventual match-winner Nilakshi de Silva — who was on just one at the time. With the bat, the White Ferns were overly conservative, reaching 38 for 1 at the end of the powerplay before Melie Kerr and Sophie Devine each struck 45 to lift the side to 150 for 6. The total proved insufficient.
The prospect of a group-stage exit — virtually unthinkable at the tournament's outset — is now a live possibility for the defending champions.
Ireland's Fight Despite No Points
Ireland have also lost both their opening fixtures, falling to Scotland and then to hosts England. Their match against Scotland began promisingly before a batting collapse shifted the contest decisively.
Against England at The Rose Bowl, captain Gaby Lewis led a spirited effort. Ireland posted just 118 in their 20 overs, yet their bowlers extracted six wickets and made England work for the chase before Nat Sciver-Brunt guided the hosts home in the 18th over. The performance hinted at a team capable of causing an upset — particularly against opponents in equally poor form.
Match Details
When: Friday, 20 June 2025, 11:00 PM IST
Where: The Rose Bowl, Southampton, England
Broadcast: Star Sports channels; live streaming on JioHotstar
Full Squads
New Zealand: Melie Kerr (c), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Sharp, Lea Tahuhu
Ireland: Gaby Lewis (c), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Alice Tector
With both sides staring at elimination, expect a tense, committed contest — the kind that group stages are built to produce.
Point of View
Not situational. Dropped catches are a symptom of a deeper issue — a team that has not adapted its fielding standards to the pace of the modern women's game. The batting conservatism in the powerplay (38 for 1 against Sri Lanka) compounds the problem; a defending champion cannot afford to gift opposition bowlers six overs of low pressure. Ireland, by contrast, are punching above their weight: extracting six wickets from a 118-run total against England is a real performance. If the White Ferns' catching fails again, Ireland are capable of the upset that would make this tournament's group stage genuinely historic.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the NZ vs IRE Women's T20 World Cup match?
The match is scheduled for Friday, 20 June 2025 at 11:00 PM IST at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, England. Both New Zealand and Ireland are yet to win a game in the tournament.
Where can I watch the NZ vs IRE Women's T20 World Cup match in India?
The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports channels in India. Fans can also stream it live on JioHotstar.
Why is the NZ vs IRE match so critical for both teams?
Both sides have lost their first two group-stage fixtures and have zero points. A third defeat would leave either team with virtually no path to the semi-finals, making this effectively a knockout game.
How have New Zealand performed in the Women's T20 World Cup 2025 so far?
The White Ferns, defending champions, have lost to West Indies by 1 run and to Sri Lanka by 5 wickets. Dropped catches — including a key miss by Bree Illing off Nilakshi de Silva — and a slow powerplay batting approach have been their main undoing.
How have Ireland performed in the Women's T20 World Cup 2025 so far?
Ireland have lost to Scotland and England in their opening two matches. However, their bowlers took 6 wickets defending just 118 against England, signalling they are competitive despite the scoreline.
