In a fiercely contested Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 clash, England Women edged out New Zealand Women by a narrow margin to keep their semifinal hopes alive. The high-voltage match at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam, was loaded with tension, tactical brilliance, and individual heroics that had fans glued to their screens.
According to Sportstar and ICC, this was one of the tournament’s most gripping matches yet, showcasing two evenly-matched teams playing fearless cricket until the last over.
England Women vs New Zealand Women: Match Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | England Women vs New Zealand Women |
| Event | ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 – Match 27 |
| Venue | ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam |
| Date | October 25, 2025 |
| Result | England won by 12 runs |
| Player of the Match | Nat Sciver-Brunt (ENG) for her all-round brilliance |
First Innings: England Build a Solid Platform
Put in to bat first, England Women posted a competitive total of 258/8 in their allotted 50 overs. Once again, Nat Sciver-Brunt led from the front with a composed 87 off 102 balls, anchoring the innings and building key partnerships with Heather Knight and Amy Jones.
| Top Scorers (England) | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | 87 | 102 | 85.3 |
| Heather Knight | 54 | 62 | 87.0 |
| Amy Jones | 38 | 28 | 135.7 |
The White Ferns bowlers struck regularly, with Amelia Kerr (3/47) and Sophie Devine (2/45) applying pressure through disciplined spells. Still, late runs from England’s lower order ensured a fighting total on a slightly turning wicket.
Second Innings: New Zealand’s Chase Falters Under Pressure
Chasing 259, New Zealand’s innings began brightly with openers Suzie Bates and Bernadine Bezuidenhout putting on an 84-run stand. However, wickets began tumbling once Bates was caught behind for 64.
Amelia Kerr looked in fine touch, scoring a fluent 73 off 88, but lacked support from the middle order as England’s bowlers slowly turned the screw. Nat Sciver-Brunt returned to grab 2 for 31, showcasing her all-round class, while Sophie Ecclestone nailed the crucial breakthroughs with tidy spin bowling (3/46).
| Top Scorers (New Zealand) | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amelia Kerr | 73 | 88 | 82.9 |
| Suzie Bates | 64 | 75 | 85.3 |
| Sophie Devine | 29 | 36 | 80.5 |
The turning point came in the 43rd over when Ecclestone trapped Kerr leg-before, breaking New Zealand’s rhythm. Tight death bowling by Kate Cross and Lauren Bell defended 23 runs off the final two overs — sealing a memorable win for England.
Star Performers
| Player | Team | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | England | 87 runs & 2 wickets |
| Amelia Kerr | New Zealand | 73 runs & 3 wickets |
| Sophie Ecclestone | England | 3/46 (10 overs) |
| Heather Knight | England | 54 runs |
Sciver-Brunt’s dominant performance yet again reinforced her status as one of the world’s premier all-rounders, while Kerr’s fighting effort underlined her growing leadership within New Zealand cricket.
Key Moments from the Match
- Knight-Sciver Partnership (80 Runs): Steadied the ship after England stumbled at 25/2.
- Amelia Kerr’s Solo Resistance: Kept New Zealand alive until the final overs.
- Ecclestone’s Spin Web: Her dismissal of Kerr in the 43rd overshifted momentum firmly toward England.
- Bell’s Death Over Control: The last-over pressure defense ensured a thrilling finish.
Post-Match Reactions
Nat Sciver-Brunt, speaking to the ICC post-match, said:
“We wanted to play smart cricket. It wasn’t a flat track, but partnerships made the difference. I’m proud of how we executed under pressure.”
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine admitted fielding errors cost her team crucial runs:
“We bowled with intensity but gave away too many in the last ten overs. Credit to England — they played with discipline.”
What This Win Means
This win propels England to third spot on the World Cup points table with a noteworthy net run rate boost. New Zealand’s playoff chances took a significant blow, needing victories in their remaining matches and favorable results from other fixtures.
| Team | Points | NRR | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Women | 12 | +1.580 | Qualified |
| India Women | 10 | +1.230 | On track |
| England Women | 8 | +0.940 | Fighting for semis |
| New Zealand Women | 6 | -0.320 | Must-win situation |
External References
- Sportstar: England vs New Zealand Women’s World Cup 2025 Highlights
- ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Official Site
- ESPN Match Highlights – ENG vs NZ 2025
Internal Links from TechnoSports.co.in
- In-depth cricket news: TechnoSports Cricket
- Latest World Cup coverage & match analysis: TechnoSports Sports
FAQs
Q1: Who won the England vs New Zealand Women’s World Cup 2025 match?
England won the thrilling game by 12 runs after defending a total of 258, keeping their tournament hopes alive.
Q2: Who was awarded Player of the Match?
Nat Sciver-Brunt was crowned Player of the Match for her all-round brilliance — scoring 87 runs and taking two crucial wickets.
