Indore gears up for historic Women’s World Cup clash
The stage is set at Indore’s Holkar Stadium as Australia and New Zealand begin their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 campaigns in what promises to be a blockbuster opening contest. Not only does the match reignite the long-standing Trans-Tasman rivalry—fondly known as “The Friendly Rivalry”—but it also marks the first-ever Women’s ODI to be played at the venue.
Both camps expect a run-fest under the lights, with conditions looking primed for batting fireworks.
McGrath: “We’re ready, confident, and excited”
Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath expressed her team’s excitement at finally stepping onto the World Cup stage.
“It looks like a really high-scoring ground, a really nice batting wicket. Just walking across the ground, it felt like such a cool stadium to play at,” McGrath told reporters.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. The prep has been awesome, the excitement is real, and we’re in a good spot heading into the game.”
The reigning champions begin their campaign as firm favorites after lifting the trophy in Christchurch in 2022. A win would set them on course to defend their crown—something they last achieved in the late 1970s and 1980s, when they clinched three consecutive titles.
McGrath stressed that every match in the tournament carries weight.
“World Cups are the hardest to win. Every game matters, and you need to be on top from the start. New Zealand have been playing really good cricket lately, and we know how well we match up against each other.”
Devine: “Runs will be the currency of this tournament”
Across the divide, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine was equally enthusiastic about the challenge of facing the world champions first up.
“We know scoring runs is going to be incredibly important, especially on wickets like these in India,” Devine said. “It’s not just the top order—we’ll need contributions from the middle and lower order as well. We saw in recent warm-up games that even 400 nearly wasn’t enough.”
The White Ferns, who last reached the World Cup final in 2009, see this clash as an opportunity to measure themselves against the best.
“Australia are like our big sister—we love playing against them,” Devine added. “They’ve got depth, experience, and match-winners across the board. But come game day, both teams start on zero. If we execute our plans, we believe we can beat any side in this competition.”
What to expect in Indore
With both teams stacked with batting powerhouses—Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, and Ellyse Perry for Australia, and Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, and Amelia Kerr for New Zealand—the clash has all the ingredients of a high-scoring thriller.
For Indore, hosting its maiden Women’s ODI is already historic, and if early signs are any indication, fans could be treated to a contest filled with boundaries, momentum shifts, and perhaps, a record or two.
Squads
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu