London, May 20 (IANS) New Zealand skipper Amelia Kerr has expressed confidence that the White Ferns can retain their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title in England next month, citing improved squad depth and belief gained from their 2024 triumph in the UAE.
The mega event happening from June 12 to July 5 is the first time Amelia will lead the side after taking over from long-time skipper and 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup winning captain Sophie Devine.
“Becoming champions two years ago was an incredible achievement, and it has given us belief as we look to do it again. Right now, I don’t know if our status as reigning champions means there’s greater pressure on us or not. It’s not really something we are thinking too much about.
“Ultimately, we’ve done it before, and we know we are capable of doing it, so the main factor is that belief. In the two years since we lifted the trophy, our depth has improved. The most pleasing thing of late is that when we have been successful, it has involved different players stepping up at different times.
“Izzy Gaze has done so in a few games, Rosemary Mair got a five-for recently against South Africa, there are so many different players putting their hands up and putting in significant performances for their country,” wrote Amelia in her column for the ICC on Wednesday.
Amelia herself has been in prolific form, scoring 276 runs in the home T20I series against South Africa and extending a record streak of 11 consecutive 30‑plus scores in the shortest format, apart from being the top-ranked all-rounder in the women’s T20I rankings.
“On a personal note, I’ve really enjoyed captaining since coming into the role earlier this year. I’ve always loved thinking about the game, so I’m enjoying the tactical side of it as well as the off-field elements, such as how to get the best out of the people around you.
“It’s a pleasure to lead this group, and I want to lead from the front, step up and take responsibility. Cricket is a fickle game, and it doesn’t always happen as you want it to, but I have a desire to be the best I can be, and I know if I am, it’ll help the team.
“My form has been good, and I am trying to cash in when that is the case, while not trying to get too low if it’s not so good. You are only ever one innings or one good ball away from being back in the game and impacting games of cricket,” she added.
Amelia also acknowledged the impending retirements of Sophie, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu, as well as newcomers Nensi Patel and Izzy Sharp, making their tournament debuts.
“I remember my first World Cup for New Zealand was in the UK in 2017, and this year, Nensi (Patel) and Izzy Sharp are appearing at their first one, which is such a special opportunity for them. At the same time, as ever in professional sport, you have players coming in and others leaving the game.
“In our case, we have three of the greats leaving the group after this competition in the form of Sophie (Devine), Suzie (Bates), and Lea (Tahuhu). When you are talking about the greats of New Zealand cricket, there are three names that will always be thrown around.
“For them, there will be emotions around that; they have all had really long careers, but hopefully they can go out there and enjoy it. Winning and success help, but in terms of what we can control off the field, hopefully we can make it a really special last tour for them,” she added.
Looking ahead, Amelia said preparation via white-ball series against England will be vital before the World Cup, where New Zealand are in Group 2 alongside England, Ireland, Scotland, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies.
“Playing England in ODIs and T20Is in the run-up is a great way to prepare for the World Cup. For us, playing cricket is the best practice. We have come off our home summer, where we’ve played a lot of cricket, we had a couple of really good series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, and we’re looking to do the same against England.
“The more you play, the more learning opportunities there are. It is about learning, growing, getting better in each game we play, and building confidence in our strengths and what we do well. If we have a strengths-based approach and nail the things we do really well, we have a good chance of winning the World Cup.
“When we arrived at home after winning this competition two years ago, more people recognised us, and in the time since, more people are supporting the women’s game, as we saw in our home series over the summer.
“Hopefully, it inspired more kids – boys and girls – to get involved in cricket in New Zealand. I would love to see cricket become the number one sport in New Zealand one day, and if you’ve got the BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS going well, that really helps the grassroots game as well. Kids look up to BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS players as role models. If they want to be like them, they’ll pick up a cricket bat and ball,” she concluded.
–IANS
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