Wellington: Australia capped off its 24-match ICC Women’s Championship campaign with a dominant 75-run victory over New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. The Australians secured an unassailable lead in the tournament standings and clinched their third consecutive title in the competition.

Finishing with 39 points (17 wins, three no-results, three losses), Australia’s total is beyond reach for any other team. India, their closest competitor, can only reach 37 points with their remaining matches against West Indies (two) and Ireland (three).

The loss has significant implications for New Zealand, which now faces uncertainty regarding automatic qualification for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Currently sitting in the final automatic spot with 21 points from 24 matches, they are vulnerable to being overtaken by Bangladesh (19 points, three matches remaining) or the West Indies (14 points, five matches remaining). If overtaken, New Zealand will have to compete in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, where six teams vie for the last two tournament spots.

Australia’s victory also secures an automatic World Cup spot for Sri Lanka, who can no longer be displaced by teams with games in hand.

The match further solidified Australia’s reputation as one of the most dominant teams in women’s cricket.

Opting to bat first, Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield laid a strong foundation with an 88-run opening stand. Contributions from Annabel Sutherland (42 off 43) and Ashleigh Gardner (74 off 62) helped the visitors post a commanding 290.

In reply, New Zealand appeared well-placed at 106/1 in the 20th over, but a boundary catch to dismiss Suzie Bates and a run-out of Melie Kerr shifted the momentum. From there, Australia’s bowlers took control, with Sutherland (3-39) and Alana King (3-34) leading the charge to bowl out the White Ferns for 215.

Australia remains the only team to have won the ICC Women’s Championship, having also claimed titles in the 2014–16 and 2017–20 cycles.

 

 

 

 

 

–IANS