Picture Credit: ICC
The ICC Women's World Cup 2022 kicked off in Mount Maunganui on Friday and what a thrilling opening match fans got to witness. The hosts New Zealand locked horns with West Indies and played out a thrilling white-ball game. Hayley Matthews (119 off 128) scored a brilliant century to guide her side to 259/9 in 50 overs, setting up the match for an exciting second half.
In reply, the home side had a topsy-turvy run-chase but Sophie Devine's brilliant 108-run knock kept them in the game. She was taking her side towards a victory but things took a turn once again when she was dismissed off a brilliant caught and bowled by Chinelle Henry, putting New Zealand in spot of bother once again.
Drama! Drama! Drama!
This is when Katey Martin and Jess Kerr joined forces and their brilliant partnership turned the tides, and this time it looked that there was no way to come back for West Indies. They needed 6 runs in 6 balls with 3 wickets in hand, and no one knew that it was time for an anti-climax.
Deandra Dottin was given the responsibilities to bowl the final over, which was incidentally her first of the match. This is how the 50th over panned out:
49.1 - Dottin to Jess Kerr, 1 Run
49.2 - Dottin to Katey Martin, Out LBW
49.3 - Dottin to Rowe, 1 Run
49.4 - Dottin to Jess Kerr, Out Caught
49.5 - Dottin to Rowe, Run Out
Watch the wickets here:
In a matter of five deliveries, New Zealand had lost 3 wickets and were bowled out on 256. West Indies had won the World Cup opener by 3 runs in the most astonishing way possible. Deandra Dottin, who failed with the bat, turned out to be a star with the ball in hand.
