Familiar foes Australia and New Zealand prepare to lock horns

New Zealand know all about the challenge that awaits them in Sharjah on Tuesday at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, when they will take on the reigning champions Australia.

 

The White Ferns started their tournament with a bang, beating India to set up the prospect of qualifying for the knockout stages from a highly competitive Group A.

But second up for the Kiwis is a match against their neighbours Australia, who beat them 3-0 in a T20I series in the run-in to the tournament.

"We've played them a lot over the years, not so much recently, but I thought we competed pretty well in those games," Suzie Bates said in her press conference the day before the game.

"And after the start we've had at this tournament, I think if we can put that performance that we put together against India, against Australia, we're going to go really well. So, we're just really excited.

"I think, to start this tournament on that positive note and to have Australia next up we've got two pretty tough games first up and we're feeling really good about where we are at.

"Those games that happened before don't really matter in a World Cup, but we know them really well in terms of our planning and preparation."

There will be plenty of familiarity between the two sides, although Bates did say that the recent series loss won't give the teams all of the information they need, partially due to the contrasting conditions.

"I think we were still sort of figuring out our best 11 and the makeup of the team and obviously conditions there versus here, spinners versus seam, the balance of the team is slightly different.

"But look, we probably didn't show all our cards and they probably didn't show all their cards, but at the end of the day, when the teams have already played a game, you kind of know what you're probably going to be up against and it's really about the balance of seam and spin.

"We know them so well, we play a lot with and against them in other leagues, so there's going to be no surprises. It's just who can, I guess, put that performance together."

And Australia's Sophie Molineux agreed that it will be a very different challenge to the recent series, particularly given New Zealand showed outstanding form in the opening game against India.

"Obviously they played out of their skin and really attacked the Indian team.

"I think it won't be too dissimilar to how we approach every game and that's to come out with intensity, and obviously the conditions are very different to where we played them back in Australia.

"But again, it's just adapting and yeah, they've obviously had a really good win so they're going to come in on a high and hopefully we can carry on our momentum as well."