Trisha Ghosal in Mumbai
New Zealand’s World Cup campaign has not gone according to plan. Having managed to play just three matches, with two washed out, they now face India in a must-win game. Even a victory might not be enough, the White Ferns will need to beat England next or defeat India comprehensively to stay alive on net run rate. With the side heavily reliant on Sophie Devine’s batting, the skipper fronted the media on the eve of the match, striking a calm but firm tone.
On India’s Pressure and the Growth of the Women’s Game
Sophie was quick to acknowledge the rising expectations around India’s women’s team, calling it both a challenge and a sign of progress.
“The Indian team at the moment have got a lot of pressure on them to perform and to match up to those expectations that come as they grow in popularity and become household names,” she said. “But that’s what we all want as female cricketers, to be put under the same scrutiny as the men.”
She praised the rapid development of the women’s game, adding: “There’s still a long way to go, not just in catching-up to the men’s game, but maybe even overtaking it someday. The opportunities are massive, and the growth over the last five years has been incredible.”
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On the Weather and the Frustration of Rain
With two of their five group games already washed out, Sophie couldn’t help but laugh about the fickle skies.
“I’m not surprised, to be honest, I expect it to be raining wherever we go!” she joked. “But you can’t control the weather. There’s no point worrying about it. Every team’s got about seven weather apps and a radar open, but until the umpires make a call, we’ll just focus on what we want to do. Hopefully, we get in 100 overs of cricket.”
On Melie Kerr’s Role Against India
All eyes will also be on Melie Kerr, who boasts a century and four fifties in her last five ODIs against India.
“Everyone expects Melie to perform, she’s got such a level head,” Sophie said. “She’s played a lot with Harman (Harmanpreet Kaur) and knows the Indian players well. But franchise cricket works both ways, they know her too. Whoever’s selected tomorrow has a great opportunity to represent New Zealand.”
On Handling Pressure
Asked about the psychological battle against a team under the pump, Sophie kept it simple: “The Indian team already have enough pressure from the public, media and their own expectations to reach the semis. We’ll let them handle that and keep focusing on what we can control.”
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