New Zealand Opens Account With Commanding Win Over Bangladesh: Women’s World Cup 2025
In a match that showcased the grit and resurgence of New Zealand’s White Ferns, the team turned their fortunes around with a decisive 100-run victory over Bangladesh at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on October 10, 2025. The triumph marked New Zealand’s first win at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, a much-needed result after successive defeats to tournament heavyweights Australia and South Africa.
Pre-Match Context: Stakes and Pressure
Entering the contest, both teams stood at crossroads. Bangladesh, fresh off an impressive win against Pakistan and a valiant fight versus England, were brimming with optimism, hoping to cement their credentials among the emerging powers in women’s cricket. New Zealand, winless prior to this fixture, desperately needed points to keep their campaign alive and avoid the specter of an early exit.
The match narrative was further shaped by the surface at Guwahati—a pitch demanding patience and skill, with its tendency to offer assistance to bowlers throughout the day. For Bangladesh, their proven spin attack, led by vice-captain Nahida Akter and the agile Rabeya Khan, provided hope. New Zealand, on the other hand, banked on the experience of Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates to anchor their innings and counter spin.
First Innings: New Zealand’s Recovery and Resistance
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, New Zealand’s innings began with early jitters. Marufa Akter, Bangladesh’s young pace sensation, extracted bounce and movement from the wicket, challenging the batters from the outset. Georgia Plimmer was the first to fall, stumped for just four. Suzie Bates, looking to settle, became a victim of a mid-pitch mix-up, run out for 29.
The Bangladesh spinners further tightened the screws as Amelia Kerr was bowled by a peach from Rabeya, reducing New Zealand to a precarious 38/3—mirroring their earlier struggles in the tournament.
But as so often happens in high-stakes knockouts, two experienced heads revived the innings. Captain Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday joined forces for a 112-run stand that halted the collapse and shifted momentum towards the White Ferns. Their partnership was a masterclass in controlled aggression and calculated risk, peppered with singles, smart rotation, and the occasional boundary.
Devine, in sublime form throughout the tournament, once again led from the front, crafting her third consecutive fifty-plus score, finishing on 63 from 85 deliveries. Halliday, steady and unfazed, emerged as the backbone of the innings, accumulating 69 runs off 104 balls, and would later be rightly named Player of the Match.
Bangladesh’s bowlers, especially Rabeya Khan (3/30), kept pegging away and picked important wickets in the death overs, preventing New Zealand from entirely running away with the contest. Contributions from Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze, and a quick burst from Lea Tahuhu helped New Zealand push past the 225-run mark, ending their innings at 227/9 in 50 overs.
Second Innings: Bangladesh’s Collapse and New Zealand’s Clinical Bowling
Chasing a competitive target of 228, Bangladesh’s chase unravelled almost immediately. Rosemary Mair and Jess Kerr extracted early swing and seam, decimating the top order with relentless accuracy. Bangladesh slumped to 33/6 inside the first 14 overs, effectively ending the contest before it had truly begun.
Only Fahima Khatun (34 off 80), Nahida Akter, and Rabeya Khan managed to reach double figures, as New Zealand’s bowlers stuck to a disciplined line and kept the fielders busy. Kerr and Tahuhu starred with three wickets apiece; Mair contributed with two. Amelia Kerr and Eden Carson also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.
One of the striking features of Bangladesh’s innings was their reliance on extras; 30 runs came via wides, leg-byes and no-balls, underscoring the struggles of the batting unit to find boundaries—their first boundary only arriving after 15 overs. At times, it appeared Bangladesh would reach three figures courtesy of New Zealand’s generous extras than through conventional batting.
Fahima Khatun’s dogged resistance delayed the inevitable fall, building brief partnerships with Nahida Akter and later Rabeya Khan. However, once Khatun departed, Bangladesh folded quickly, bowled out for 127 in 39.5 overs, handing New Zealand a comprehensive victory and their first points of the tournament.
Strategic Analysis: Turning Points and Tactical Battles
Several tactical shifts defined the match:
New Zealand’s Recovery Partnership: The 112-run stand between Devine and Halliday stabilized the innings and capitalized on the softening ball, negating the Bangladesh spinners’ early dominance. The batters worked singles with patience, demonstrating adaptability to spin and slow conditions.
Bangladesh’s Bowling Phases: Bangladesh were effective in both opening and death overs, taking wickets consistently. Rabeya Khan’s variations and Nahida Akter’s flight troubled New Zealand, yet the inability to break the Devine-Halliday partnership proved costly.
Fielding Impact: Bangladesh were swift in the field, executing two run-outs and stumping two batters, but couldn’t capitalize on half-chances to convert pressure into wickets, especially against set batters.
New Zealand’s Bowling Depth: Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu’s opening spells were decisive. Their ability to exploit movement and keep tight lines eliminated Bangladesh’s chances early, while spinner Amelia Kerr added control in middle overs.
Player Performances: Stars and Standouts
Brooke Halliday: Steady anchor with 69, the backbone of New Zealand’s recovery.
Sophie Devine: Leadership and composure, 63 runs and marshaled her troops energetically.
Rabeya Khan: Bangladesh’s best bowler, inventive and aggressive, 3 for 30.
Jess Kerr & Lea Tahuhu: Clinical with the new ball, six wickets between them; Tahuhu’s 3/22 capped her 100th ODI appearance.
Special mention must go to the Bangladesh fielders, who kept energy levels high and executed sharp dismissals, even as their batters faltered.
Tactical and Psychological Perspectives
New Zealand’s victory did more than change their World Cup fortunes; it re-energized a side that had begun to show cracks in temperament under pressure. Their ability to recover from setbacks in the top order, regroup and set a defendable total, then ruthlessly execute with the ball, signals a team peaking at the right time.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, must address systemic batting weaknesses. Their attack, robust and varied, can unnerve opposition, but their batting—apart from brief resistance—lacks stability and the ability to build partnerships under pressure.
What Lies Ahead
With this convincing win, New Zealand moved to fifth in the points table, gaining a much-needed boost to their net run rate and morale. Bangladesh, nursing two consecutive losses, will need to regroup, especially with persistent batting woes threatening their progress in a competitive pool.
As the tournament heads towards its midpoint, both teams face pivotal fixtures. New Zealand will hope to build on momentum and keep their qualification hopes alive, while Bangladesh must patch up their top-order batting and transform promising spells into match-winning performances.
Quotes and Reactions
Brooke Halliday reflected, “We were happy to work in singles and get a bit bored in the middle. Devine did well to capitalize later. We figured out how to play the spinners today. It’s easy to bat with Devine but the conditions weren’t easy for batting. The bowlers kept it simple and that’s what was needed on this pitch”.
Bangladesh’s Nigar Sultana said, “We started well with the ball but couldn’t maintain pressure. Our batting has to improve. We need to build partnerships and stick to basics in coming matches”.
Scorecard Recap
New Zealand 227/9 (50 ovs)
Brooke Halliday 69 (104), Sophie Devine 63 (85); Rabeya Khan 3/30
Bangladesh 127 all out (39.5 ovs)
Fahima Khatun 34 (80); Jess Kerr 3/21, Lea Tahuhu 3/22
Final Thoughts
The New Zealand vs Bangladesh Women’s World Cup clash in Guwahati was a riveting reminder of cricket’s unpredictable drama. It brought the resurgent spirit of New Zealand to the fore and highlighted Bangladesh’s fight—even if ultimately in vain. With several matches remaining, both teams face different but demanding paths. For the White Ferns, this victory could well be a turning point; for Bangladesh, a lesson in resilience and adaptability as world cricket’s spotlight grows sharper by the day.