West Indies bowl first, Bates misses out for New Zealand

West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl first vs New Zealand

Hayley Matthews won the toss on a glorious sunlight evening at the Hampshire Bowl,. chose for West Indies to bowl first against the defending champions, New Zealand, in their opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup.

West Indies' preparations suffered a blow with the absence of both Stafanie Taylor. Chinelle Henry, whose participation had been in doubt from the moment she was stretchered off at Cardiff on Wednesday, after aggravating an existing injury during a warm-up match against Australia.

"It is obviously a big blow for us," Matthews said at the toss, "But at the same time, it gives some of those younger girls a massive opportunity to come out here today. make a name for themselves."

Shawnisha Hector, Jahzara Claxton. Zaida James are three such players who will get an early chance to stake a long-term claim for the tournament.

For New Zealand, the absence of Suzie Bates is perhaps the most eye-catching omission. Incredibly. it is the first T20 World Cup that the White Ferns have ever contested without their veteran in the ranks. But. as if to prove that this tournament marks a passing of the baton, their captain Melie Kerr received a commemorative cap on the occasion of her 100th T20I.

"It's really special," Kerr said. "It's such an amazing group, and I've grown up in it through my teenage years to now. It's awesome to see how far the women's game has come since I debuted to now."

The pitch is a hybrid, with some live grass on it, but a rock-solid base. Pace and bounce is anticipated on what ought to be a true surface that's full of runs. Georgia Plimmer will open with Izzy Gaze for the first time in T20Is for New Zealand.

New Zealand: 1 Georgia Plimmer. 2 Izzy Gaze (wk), 3 Melie Kerr (capt), 4 Sophie Devine, 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Izzy Sharp, 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Nensi Patel, 10 Rosemary Mair, 11 Bree Illing

West Indies: 1 Qiana Joseph. 2 Hayley Matthews (capt), 3 Shemaine Campbelle (wk), 4 Deandra Dottin, 5 Jahzara Claxton, 6 Jannillea Glasgow, 7 Aaliyah Alleyne, 8 Zaida James, 9 Shawnisha Hector, 10 Afy Fletcher, 11 Karishma Ramharack