New Zealand will tour India for three Women’s Championship ODIs later this month, scheduled for October 24, 27, and 29 in Ahmedabad. This series was initially postponed in July last year due to a packed cricket calendar when India hosted England and Australia.
Both teams will travel directly from the women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE to India for the series. If they reach the World Cup final, they will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the ODIs.
The late addition of this series means several key players may miss the start of the 2024-25 Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season. Notable absentees could include India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia, and D Hemalatha. Mandhana was a significant pre-draft signing for Adelaide Strikers, while New Zealand captain Sophie Devine will also miss early WBBL matches with Perth Scorchers.
Currently, New Zealand sits sixth in the Women’s Championship table with eight wins in 18 matches, just below India. This series is vital for their direct qualification for next year’s 50-over World Cup in India, as the top six teams will earn a spot. New Zealand last played ODIs in India in 2015, where they came back to win the series after being down 1-0.
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