ICC Women's CWC 2022 | NZ-W vs WI-W: Dottin holds nerves as WI steal win in a thriller

The fans couldn’t have asked for a better start to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 after the West Indies team held their nerves against New Zealand and stole away a 3-run win in the tournament opener in Mount Maunganui.

New Zealand needed 6 from the last over when the ball was handed to Deandra Dottin. Jess Kerr managed to get a single on the very first ball and handed the strike to Katey Martin who was looking in decent touch with the bat especially after scoring a couple of boundaries on the trot at the end of the penultimate over. 

But she couldn’t replicate it and missed out her stroke on a Yorker to eventually get dismissed for 44 off 47. The equation was now down to 5 off 4 with a new batter out in the middle. Hannah Rowe got a single on the third ball of the over giving the strike back to Kerr. 

She then tried to clear the rope with a lofted drive but was caught at mid off for 25 off 21. New Zealand now needed four runs from two balls with only one wicket in hand. 

Dottin bowled a length delivery to Rowe but she missed it completely. Jonas who was at the non-striker’s end left the crease for a run but a confusion in the middle cost her wicket and New Zealand the match as they were bundled out for 256. 

The hosts didn’t have a great start to the chase as they lost wickets regularly and it was only Sophie Devine who held the fort at one end as she notched up a century. 

The home side was reduced to 215/7 when Martin and Kerr joined hands and provided the resistance with a partnership of 40 runs but failed to take the team over the line. 

Earlier, in the day, West Indies managed to put 259/9, courtesy a hundred from Hayley Matthews and some valuable contributions from Taylor and Chedean Nation. Tahuhu picked up three wickets for her side. 

“Just the fight we showed. To beat a team like New Zealand, to beat them in their home is a great achievement. The fight that we showed was immense. For me to come out here and put on a performance in the opening game, and win the game, feels really good. Hopefully we can carry the momentum through the tournament,” Mathews said after the match.