Women's T20 WC: Shemaine, Aaliyah help WI seal seven wicket win over defending champs NZ
Southampton, June 14
A sensational 90 from Shemaine Campbelle and a four-wicket haul by Aaliyah Alleyne helped West Indies beat defending champions New Zealand by seven wickets in their ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign opener at Southampton on Saturday.
Chasing 163, Shemaine scored a composed, steady 62-ball 90*, with seven fours and three sixes. It was a four-wicket haul from Aaliyah (4/27), which restricted the Kiwis to 162/6 in 20 overs.
After the Windies put the Kiwis to bat first, Aaliyah gave 2016 champions the breakthrough wicket of Georgia Plimmer (8), ending the first wicket 49-run stand and got key scalps of Amelia Kerr (5) and Isabella Gaze (39 in 29 balls, with eight fours) in her next over. NZ sunk to 56/3 in 7.4 overs.
Sophie Devine (22 in 15 balls, with three fours) put on a 45-run stand with Brooke Halliday, taking NZ past the 100-run mark. Halliday's 32-ball 40, with five fours and Maddy Green's 35* in 22 balls, with four boundaries and a six, pushed NZ to a modest 162/6.
Skipper Hayley Matthews needed to give a fine start to her side, and the captain stamped her authority, dealing in boundaries during a 74-run stand with Shemaine for the second wicket after Qiana Joseph (2) fell early. The captain scored 48 in 37 balls, with six fours and a six.
Hayley Matthews' shoulders as West Indies walked out for the chase. She stamped her authority with back-to-back fours. However, a misunderstanding while running between the wickets saw Qiana Joseph run out early. West Indies and Campbelle changed the tempo in the last six overs. The Guyanese player put on a display of power-hitting and brought up her first T20I fifty with a big heave over long on. With the match going down to the wire, Campbelle kept her nerves, taking WI to the finishing line with a ball to spare.
Jess Kerr was the only New Zealand bowler among wickets on Saturday, taking 2/17 in four overs.
With that, the West Indies avenged the semi-final defeat at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great match! Aaliyah Alleyne's spell was game-changing - 4 wickets for 27 runs on a decent batting track. New Zealand should have scored more after that start though. Hayley Matthews is such an impactful captain. Women's T20 cricket is getting more exciting by the day!
Wonderful victory for West Indies! Campbelle's 90* was absolutely classy - she paced her innings perfectly. But honestly, New Zealand's bowling looked a bit one-dimensional without a lot of variation. Jess Kerr was economical but needed more support. WI deserved this win after that 2024 semi-final loss 💪🏏
Campbelle was exceptional - 62-ball 90 with boundaries all around the ground! But I think West Indies relied too much on her and Matthews. Middle order needs to step up if they want to go all the way. New Zealand will be disappointed - they let it slip from a winning position. Still, great entertainment for cricket fans! 🏆
Good to see West Indies back in form. But one match doesn't make a tournament - consistency is key. New Zealand's top order collapsed after a good start, that's where they lost the match. Aaliyah Alleyne's four-wicket haul was decisive. Looking forward to seeing how India performs in this tournament! 🇮🇳
Respect to Campbelle for holding her nerve in the final over! That's what big-match players do. But I feel New Zealand made a tactical error - they should have bowled their spinners earlier when the asking rate was climbing. Still, a thoroughly entertaining start to the tournament. Women's cricket is the real
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