New Zealand will host India Women for a limited overs series starting February 9 and ending on February 24, ahead of the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup.
India Women are set to play a six-match limited-overs series consisting of one T20I and five ODIs on the tour of New Zealand before the two teams head into the Women’s ODI World Cup. The series will conclude on February 24, with the world cup starting on March 4 in Mount Maunganui.
The series offers both teams a great chance to fine-tune their playing combinations and plans ahead of the mega event. The bilateral series will kick off with the one-off T20 international on February 9 at McLean Park in Napier, followed by the first ODI match at the same venue on February 11.
The caravan will then move to Nelson, with the second and third ODI taking place at Saxton Oval on February 14 and 16. The last two ODIs will be hosted at John Davies Oval in Queenstown on February 22 and 24. None of these three venues will host any of the World Cup matches.
The Women’s World Cup was originally scheduled for 2021 but had to be rescheduled due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
“It hasn’t been a straight-forward process and we’ve needed to work through a number of unexpected changes before finalising the arrangements,”
New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said in an NZC statement.
“Having said that, I’m delighted with the volume and quality of the international cricket to be played over the summer, particularly given the importance of, and the relevance connected to these games. The India series is a crucial part of the WHITE FERNS’ World Cup preparations.”
The two teams last played against each other in a bilateral series in early 2019 in New Zealand, where India won the ODI series by 2-1 while the hosts clean-swept India in the T20I series.
India Women’s last international assignment was a tour of Australia in September-October, featuring three T20Is and as many ODIs and the one-off Test. New Zealand also played last in September, when they toured England for a three-match T20I series and five-match ODI series.