What a rollicking start to the 12th edition of cricket's oldest tournament. Hosts New Zealand almost pulled off a sensational chase against the West Indies in the opener of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 on Friday. It's another matter that the 2000 champions were the hot favourites. Centuries, one each from either camp -- Hayley Matthews (119 off 128) for the Windies and Sophie Devine (108 off 127) for New Zealand made sure that the contest one on an even keel, but White Ferns fell short by three runs in chase of a 260-run target in a final-over finish. Needing six runs in six balls, Deandra Dottin got Katey Martin and Jess Kerr off the second and fourth balls, then a run out of Fran Jonas off the penultimate ball means New Zealand could manage only 256. Catch highlights and scores of ICC Women's World Cup 2022, match 1 between New Zealand and West Indies here:
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Squads:
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Amy Satterthwaite, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Katey Martin (wk), Lea Tahuhu, Hayley Jensen, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe, Fran Jonas, Georgia Plimmer, Frances Mackay.
West Indies: Deandra Dottin, Rashada Williams, Kycia Knight (wk), Stafanie Taylor (c), Hayley Matthews, Shemaine Campbelle, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Anisa Mohammed, Afy Fletcher, Shamilia Connell, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman, Karishma Ramharack, Cherry Ann Fraser.
