White Ferns Ready to Bounce Back as Gaze Eyes Sri Lanka Response
New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Isabella Gaze says the defending champions have quickly put their opening defeat behind them and are focused on delivering a strong response against Sri Lanka in Southampton.
Gaze struck a brisk 39 from 29 balls in the White Ferns’ tournament opener, but missed chances in the field proved costly as Shemaine Campbelle’s unbeaten 90 guided West Indies to a seven-wicket victory.
Despite the setback, Gaze believes New Zealand can reignite their title defence immediately.
Speaking to ICC Media, Gaze said the team had acknowledged their fielding mistakes but remained confident in their abilities.
“We all know that that was not our standard in the field,” she said. “It’s not a lack of skill or effort, just one of those nights. We’ve got to move on from that and we’re really confident going into the next game.”
The White Ferns know victory is essential in their remaining group fixtures if they are to secure a semi-final place.
New Zealand, ranked fourth in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings, face a Sri Lanka side ranked seventh. The teams shared a 1-1 T20I series last year, with Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu playing a key role.
Gaze highlighted Athapaththu as a major threat while also praising Sri Lanka’s bowling attack.
Speaking to ICC Media, she said: “They’ve got some quality bowlers and Chamari Athapaththu is dangerous with the bat. We’ve got some key players to keep an eye on.”
Sri Lanka are also seeking their first win of the competition after suffering an 87-run defeat to England in their opener.
Opener Vishmi Gunaratne believes her side can produce a much-improved display against New Zealand.
Speaking to ICC Media, Gunaratne said: “England was a tough game. We didn’t do well in our three departments, but we’ve worked on that and we’re going to give a good fight.”
She added that Sri Lanka had reviewed their performance, discussed plans and were determined to bounce back in their next outing.
With both teams looking to recover from opening defeats, Wednesday’s clash could prove pivotal in shaping their World Cup campaigns.
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