Toss New Zealand chose to bat vs England
England play South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday in Guwahati, and have brought in the vastly experienced Danni Wyatt-Hodge for this match, replacing Emma Lamb, traditionally an opener who has struggled in the unfamiliar role of No. 6.
Wyatt-Hodge has 300 international caps, including 118 ODIs, but she didn’t play a 50-over game through the English summer, making this her first game in the format since the ill-fated Ashes tour of Australia, where England lost 16 points to nil.
Meanwhile, an unchanged New Zealand side that failed to qualify for the semi-finals are looking to send off Devine with an upset win in Vishakhapatnam. This will be the final ODI match of Devine’s career, although she plans to continue representing her country in T20Is.
Devine said her 159th and final ODI would mark an emotional day. “There have already been a few tears but I want to go out there and enjoy it and play with a smile on my face,” she said at the toss. “I’m playing with some of my best mates.
“It looks a great cricket wicket. We want to be able to put runs on the board then hopefully restrict England.”
Nat Sciver-Brunt, the England captain, said she would have preferred to bat first too, adding that she had faith in Wyatt-Hodge to add something to the side ahead of the semi-final.
“Making a change in the last game before a semi-final is a bit tough on the person coming in but Danni’s got a lot of experience,” Sciver-Brunt said.
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (capt), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson
England: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
