World Cup opener produces last-over thriller as West Indies upset hosts New Zealand

Fri, Mar 4, '22

The 12th edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup got under way on Thursday night, with hosts New Zealand taking on the West Indies. And the Caribbean side started as second favourites.
Yet, the start Deandra Dottin had, grabbing three fours off the bowling of Lea Tahuhu in the opening over, she hadn’t gotten that notification. Dottin, however, failed to stick around for long, as Tahuhu got her revenge in the 3rd over, removing the Barbadian for 12.

Now, despite the wicket of Kycia Knight, which followed soon after, the West Indies finished the powerplay with one of their more respectable scores in recent times, in 54/2. Caribbean nerves would have been settled with the third-wicket partnership of 66 runs between the once-again-opener, Hayley Matthews and captain Stafanie Taylor. And when Taylor fell, caught down the leg-side, the 23-year-old Matthews dropped anchor, marshaling the middle-order: first, with a 60-run partnership with Shemaine Campbelle, followed by a 55-run fifth-wicket stand with Chedean Nation.

Matthews would fall for a well-played 119. Still, the West Indies seemed set to go beyond 240. Yet, the loss of Nation in the 48th over with the score on 243, had 260 looking out of reach with the lack of batting to come. But a few boundaries from Anisa Mohammed in the ultimate over ensured New Zealand would need no less than 260 runs to earn a winning start in this home World Cup.

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