Women’s Cricket World Cup: From India vs Pak to AUS vs ENG, First four matches could set the tone- check full fixtures inside – Christchurch will host the Women’s 50-over World Cup final on April 3 but before that, there are 30 matches to get through beginning with the opener between New Zealand and the West Indies in Tauranga on Friday. Follow Women’s Cricket World Cup updates on Insidesport.IN
The first four matches could set the tone for the whole World Cup with titanic tussles expected between title challengers and a team making its debut. For New Zealand’s 2022 team, they have the chance to join the legends of the 2000 World Cup, as an Emily Drumm-led side defeated Australia in a nail-biting final the last time the tournament was held in New Zealand.
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India is one of only two other teams to reach the final, having done so in 2005 and 2017. Mithali Raj played in both matches and has been a World Cup regular since 2000, and she’s back to lead the side again. For the Women in Blue, victory would be vindication for their continual development over several years as the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma continue to cement their position as some of the world’s best.
Women’s Cricket World Cup: From India vs Pak to AUS vs ENG, First four matches could set the tone- check full fixtures inside
Like England and Australia, India begins with a mammoth match against rivals Pakistan, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.
“The White Ferns have not won a 50-over World Cup since but are buoyed by a mammoth win over Australia in their final warm-up game. It was significant because Australia is among the favourites and have the chance to stretch their record number of tournament wins to a magnificent seven, with their most recent victory coming in 2013,” stated an official ICC release.
The Southern Stars head into the World Cup as the No.1 ranked side in the ICC Team rankings and have lost just one ODI in their past 30 games, with the defeat to New Zealand in a one-day international.
Australia’s first game takes place on Saturday as they face holders England in Hamilton in one of the high-profile games of the tournament.
With all eight teams playing each other once, getting off to a good start can be crucial as the top four sides in the table advance to the semi-finals.
However, England can be safe in the knowledge that they lost their opening game of the 2017 World Cup and went on to take a dramatic victory over India in the final.
They are one of three teams to win the World Cup, alongside Australia and New Zealand, and another triumph this year would be their fifth in total – and the first time they have successfully defended it.
Saturday’s early game of the opening weekend sees South Africa take on Bangladesh with the latter appearing in their first-ever World Cup.
Women’s Cricket World Cup: From India vs Pak to AUS vs ENG, First four matches could set the tone- check full fixtures inside
Nigar Sultana Joty will lead out her side in Dunedin, one of six venues for the tournament with Wellington and Auckland also hosting games, to make history as the 15th side to play in a World Cup.
Bangladesh are not here to make up the numbers, as the No.6 side in the world they will be hoping to make an impression and are yet to play Australia, England and New Zealand in ODIs so they also have the element of surprise.
Here is the full schedule of the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup (all timings are in IST):
March 4: New Zealand vs West Indies in Tauranga (6:30 am)
March 5: Bangladesh vs South Africa in Dunedin (3:30 am)
March 5: Australia vs England in Hamilton (6:30 am)
March 6: Pakistan vs India in Tauranga (6:30 am)
March 7: New Zealand vs Bangladesh in Dunedin (3:30 am)
March 8: Australia vs Pakistan in Tauranga (6:30 am)
March 9: West Indies vs England in Dunedin (3:30 am)
March 10: India vs New Zealand in Hamilton (6:30 am)
March 11: Pakistan vs South Africa in Tauranga (6:30 am)
March 12: India vs West Indies in Hamilton (6:30 am)
March 13: New Zealand vs Australia in Wellington (3:30 am)
March 14: Pakistan vs Bangladesh in Hamilton (3:30 am)
March 14: South Africa vs England in Tauranga (6:30 am)
March 15: Australia vs West Indies in Tauranga (3:30 am)
March 16: India vs England in Wellington (6:30 am)
March 17: New Zealand vs South Africa in Hamilton (6:30 am)
March 18: Bangladesh vs West Indies in Tauranga (3:30 am)
March 19: India vs Australia in Auckland (6:30 am)
March 20: New Zealand vs England in Auckland (3:30 am)
March 21: West Indies vs Pakistan in Hamilton (6:30 am)
March 22: Australia vs South Africa in Wellington (3:30 am)
March 22: India vs Bangladesh in Hamilton (6:30 am)
March 24: South Africa vs West Indies in Wellington (3:30 am)
March 24: England vs Pakistan in Wellington (6:30 am)
March 25: Bangladesh vs Australia in Christchurch (3:30 am)
March 26: New Zealand vs Pakistan in Wellington (3:30 am)
March 27: England vs Bangladesh in Christchurch (3:30 am)
March 28: India vs South Africa in Wellington (6:30 am)
March 30: Semi-Final 1 in Christchurch (3:30 am)
March 31: Semi-Final 2 in Wellington (6:30 am)
April 3: Final in Christchurch (6:30 am)
Follow Women’s Cricket World Cup updates on Insidesport.IN
